The Horizon
by withoutapast
Summary: Post-episode 6.09, inspired by the chemistry in the short scene in which Daenerys makes an alliance with the Greyjoys. Dany gets seasick on the journey to Westeros (DaenerysxYara). Fluff. One-shot for now.
1. Chapter 1

The newly unified Khalasar had mounted its wooden horses and was riding the waves as trippingly as if they were the familiar, grassy fields surrounding Vaes Dothrak.

The fleet was making good time, skipping easily across the stoic sea. Even though the rocking of the ships was minimal, it was enough to sicken many of the Dothraki who had grown up trusting the solidness of the ground beneath their horses' hooves. Their Khaleesi was no exception.

That first night at sea, she found herself curled up in a ball on her bed, clutching her stomach.

"She needs help," Missandei, who was crouched by Daenerys' side, pleaded to no one in particular. She'd tried every remedy she knew and watched with growing desperation as they failed, one after the other.

Grey Worm, who was keeping vigil at the door, left without a word and returned a few minutes later with Yara and Theon Greyjoy in tow. Missandei's eyes widened. "They know sea," Grey Worm shrugged in response to her questioning look.

"She's ill." Missandei explained, moving to greet the Greyjoys. "I don't know how to help her. I've tried every-"

"I can take it from here," Yara interrupted. "It's seasickness," she offered. Missandei nodded. "My people are born and raised on the sea. Still, not all of us are born with the stomachs for it, " a good-natured smirk turned one corner of her mouth upward and her brother looked quickly away. "We have many cures."

As if on cue, Daenerys moaned from her bed where she was lay prone, her back to the four of them.

"Try them please!" Missandei urged.

"Of course." Yara turned to her brother, "Theon, please go to our chambers and find my bracelets. They should be in my chest, probably buried near the bottom."

"How many should I bring?"

"All of them. I need a variety to choose from."

Yara then looked to Missandei and Grey Worm, "I also need ginger and any substances your maesters have to spare."

"We don't have maesters here."

"Any healers at all?"

"Not on board."

Yara sighed, "Just the ginger then. If you have ginger root or ginger powder, here's what I'd like you to prepare." She rattled off a short recipe with directions, before adding, "If you have ginger tea, bring that as well."

As the three hurried off to collect their assigned supplies, Yara walked over to Daenerys' bed. Her commanding tone softened to a coo-like whisper. "You'll feel better soon."

"Please," she moaned.

Yara moved to climb onto the bed.

"Boots," Daenerys croaked.

"Do they offend you?"

"Not on the bed."

Yara chuckled to herself. "Of all the things to be worried about." She sat on the edge of the bed and removed them. "As a Khaleesi shouldn't you be used to dirt?" Daenerys turned over to face her. "Did that offend you?" Yara smirked, turning onto her knees.

Daenerys ignored the question. "I have lived in dirt, yes, but that doesn't mean I liked it."

Yara nodded, her eyes shining playfully. "Is there anything else you'd like me to remove before I get into bed with you?" She leaned forward. "All you have to do is ask." A little color returned to Daenerys' pale face. "I'll take that as a no," Yara sighed, climbing onto the bed. "Come here," she commanded. Daenerys crawled over to her. "Sit."

"I'm not your—"

"Bitch? Alright then, _Daenerys_ Stormborn of House Targaryen, First of Her Name, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Queen of Meereen, Breaker of Chains, Mother of Dragons, Unburnt Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, please sit here." She pointed to her lap. "Between my legs."

Daenerys rolled her eyes before moving, apparently too slowly, to sit in front of Yara, who gently, but firmly, pulled her into position.

" _Daenerys_ Stormborn of House Targaryen, First of Her Name, Khaleesi—"

" _Daenerys_ will suffice," she said, her throbbing head and roiling stomach weakening her resolve.

" _Daenerys, please lean forward. Slightly. And tuck your chin."_

 _Theon appeared at the door. "I brought all I could find."_

 _"Thank you. Bring them here." In three strides he reached his sister and dropped the bracelets into her hands. Yara studied them for a moment, before plucking two from the pile._

 _"_ _These will do. Can you return the others?"_

 _"_ _Yes, anything else?"_

 _"_ _No, that will be all. I've got this under control." Theon nodded curtly before disappearing._

 _"_ _What are those for?"_

 _"_ _Pressure points," Yara answered. "Hold out your wrists." Daenerys lifted her arms and Yara reached around her, sliding one band onto each and then wrapping her whole hands around them and bending them into shape until they hugged her wrists just right. "Your wrists are small."_

 _"_ _I'm_ _small." Yara could feel the vibration of Daenerys's soft laugh through her chest as she pulled back._

 _"_ _You are," she agreed._

 _"_ _Ginger!" Missandei announced._

 _"_ _Wonderful," Yara said, turning her attention to the pair who'd just entered. They rushed over and handed her a small basket of the ginger concoction along with a mug of ginger tea._

 _"_ _You look better, Khaleesi." Missandei observed._

 _Daenerys_ smiled. "Thank you for watching over me." Missandei smiled as Yara nodded a thank you as well.

"Do you need—"

Yara shook her head. "I can take it from here." Missandei hesitated, but her own exhaustion hushed the objection forming on her tongue, and she allowed Grey Worm to lead her out.

Yara passed Daenerys the mug, and she sipped it eagerly.

"It's awful," she coughed, handing Yara the mug.

"But it will help," she countered, refusing to take it back. "Drink." When Daenerys didn't immediately comply, she reached for the mug herself and raised it to Daenerys' mouth. "Drink, Daenerys," she ordered again. Daenerys drank and shuddered as the biting liquid slid down her throat. After coercing her to drain half the mug, Yara finally relented to her protests and took it from her, "Good girl. Alright, now back to leaning forward." Yara paused for a moment, displaying an uncharacteristic timidity.

"Yara?"

"Mmmhmm," she stalled.

"What now?"

"I need to move some of your dressing gown out of the way … to expose your back."

"Well, do so," Daenerys instructed, impatient for the relief she could sense on the horizon.

Yara's fingers found the ribbons lacing the back of the dress and loosened them, allowing her to split the material along Daenerys' spine, pulling it to the sides, and push the material off her shoulders. She gathered the silver strands of hair spilling down her back, quickly braided them, and cast the braid over the front of her shoulder.

She allowed herself one moment to drink in the sight of Daenerys' bare skin, and then she placed her hands on her shoulders and began gently massaging them. She gradually increased the pressure, kneading the muscles to release the tension tightening them.

Daenerys whimpered when her fingers dug into a particularly tender spot. "Hurts so good?" Yara eased up anticipating a negative response.

"Don't stop."

"As you wish, Khaleesi," she whispered, moving her hands up the neck. Daenerys leaned her head back into the pressure. "Eat this," Yara suggested, holding one of the chewy ginger candies that Missandei had cooked up to Daenerys' lips, which parted to take the treat.

"Hhoow?"

"Don't try to bite or chew it. Just suck it."

"Oh. OH." She slid the candy to one side of her cheek to speak. "It's stronger than the tea."

"It'll steady your head and calm your stomach," Yara explained, her deft fingers taking care of Daenerys' neck. While the candy slowly dissolved in Daenerys' mouth, Yara's hands continued to leisurely work their way down Daenery's back. Nearly an hour after she'd climbed onto the bed, Yara felt the small body in front of her deflate.

"How are doing?" Yara's ministrations slowed.

"So much better." She turned to look over her shoulder. "Seven hells, I'd forgotten what it felt like when the world wasn't spinning. Thank you for coming to me. You didn't owe me anything…"

"You forget, I need you if I'm to reclaim the Salt Throne."

"Yes, that's true." Daenerys turned her head back to face forward.

"But that's not the only reason I came." Daenerys became very still.

"It isn't?"

"No." Yara leaned forward, her chest pressing against Daenerys' back, and whispered in her ear. "You're beautiful, you know."

Daenerys had all but stopped breathing. "You came because I'm beautiful."

"No." Yara pressed a kiss behind her ear, before leaning back. "I just wanted to tell you that."

"Why else did you come then?"

"You needed someone to take care of you. I wanted to." Yara's hands dropped from her shoulder blades to the sides of her ribcage.

"You wanted to?" Yara felt Daenerys' sharp intake of breath as her ribcage expanded under her touch.

"Mmmhhhmm." Yara's fingers began to tickle her sides, before tentatively brushing the sides of her breasts. "I like you."

"Like me?"

"Oh yes." Her fingers slid under her breasts, then her hands moved to cup them. "Very much." Daenerys' head lolled back onto Yara's shoulder as her hands caringly massaged the soft flesh, raising the nipples to hard peaks.

Daenerys flipped around to face Yara, who adeptly slipped the gown off her shoulders, completely exposing her upper body. "I've never…" Daenerys bit her lip and tilted her head.

"Never been with a woman?"

"I'm more than happy to be your first. Let me teach you, Khaleesi," she reached out and cupped Daenerys' chin, pulling her into an insistent kiss.

Daenerys pulled back, breaking the kiss. "Dany."

"Huh?" Yara looked at her quizzically.

"Call me Dany."

"Dany," Yara breathed, brushing her lips against Dany's. "Let me worship you like the Khaleesi you are." She flipped her over onto her back, slid the rest of the dress off her hips, and straddled her.

Dany squirmed underneath Yara's unrelenting gaze. "What?"

"You're just so fucking gorgeous." Dany's cheeks flushed pink. "It's hard to believe you are really here," Yara admitted as her hands went to remove her own top.

"Oh?" Dany reached up and undid the buttons on Yara's shirt, and helped her pull it over her head.

Yara dropped down, planting kisses down her forehead to her nose, across her cheek, along her jaw line. "When I first heard about this rumored Dragon Queen, I imagined scales. But you are made of porcelain and glass. Beautiful. Strong." Her lips continued to Dany's neck, sucking at her pulse point and at the base of her collarbone. "When I first met you, I was floored. Couldn't you tell?"

Dany gasped when Yara's mouth closed around a nipple. "I could tell you were intrigued, but I figured that could be for any number of reasons."

Yara's tongue circle around her nipple, before she broke away. "Intrigued? Indeed," she smirked. "I was. I was interested in you. I was actually serious about the offer of marriage. I was eye-fucking you the entire time."

"I wasn't discouraging you." Dany whimpered as Yara pressed a kiss to the center of her panties.

"Discouraging me? Ha, no definitely not. You were flirting right back." Yara propped herself up on an elbow and traced her index finger down Dany's slit through her panties. "I wasn't sure how serious you were though—if I actually had a chance or if you were just playing." Yara smiled, "You're wet."

"It's not the first time you've made me wet."

"Is that so?" Yara hooked her fingers through the panties and divested Dany, who obligingly raised her hips, of them.

"The… how do you call it… handshake?"

Yara slid a finger into her. "I thought about pulling you to me then, but I'm not much for public displays." She slid another finger inside. "You're surprisingly tight for a woman who has been with a Khal. It is said that they are hung like their horses. Is it true?"

"I can't speak for all Khals, but Drogo was." Yara began to pump her fingers, in and out, slowly.

"And as rough?"

"Drogo could be." Yara picked up speed.

"Did you like it like that?"

"I did," Dany gasped. Yara's rhythm slowed. "I also liked it when he was gentle."

"Did he take care of you?" Yara removed her fingers and replaced them with her mouth.

"Yes," Dany gulped.

"Good." Yara lips were a spark, lighting fire to the oil spill between Dany's thighs. Her tongue brought Dany to a quivering climax, calling her name. Yara waited as Dany rode out the aftershocks.

"Wow." Her pupils were so dilated that almost no color was visible.

"As good as a big cock?" Yara teased, tracing a finger up her bare thigh.

"Better, I dare say."

"I think you should get some rest, Khaleesi." Yara kissed her deeply before pulling away. Dany snatched her wrist.

"What about you?"

Yara raised her eyebrows. "What about me?" Dany nodded, sitting up herself. "Are you sure, Khaleesi?"

"Dany," she corrected. "You said you'd teach me."

Yara studied her determined expression and found it satisfying enough to remove her pants. She reached out, took Dany's hands, and pulled them to her breasts. Dany took to massaging them as Yara had hers. Her fingers' skill was more than sufficient as she soon had Yara moaning with her head thrown back. Dany abandoned her breasts and wrapped one arm around Yara's back, bringing them chest to chest so she could kiss her.

"I want you." Dany whispered into her kiss.

"You have me."

Dany shook her head, breaking the kiss. "I want you for more than tonight."

Yara's solemn eyes met and held Dany's shining eyes. "You have me for as long as you want me," Yara answered unblinkingly, before pulling Dany back to her lips. Dany's hands slid between them, and her fingers stroked Yara, who exhaled in pleasant surprise. As Dany's fingers continued to tease Yara's entrance, Yara nibbled at her earlobe. "I don't think you need a teacher, Dany" she paused before biting down a little roughly, and sneaking her own fingers down to worry Dany's clit, which sent Dany bucking wildly. Being the instant trigger of so violent a climax caused Yara to climax herself, and she collapsed against spent Khaleesi.

After a few minutes spent recovering her breath, Dany slid under the covers. Yara made to leave, but Dany stopped her.

"Khaleesi?"

"Stay with me."

"Is that an order?" Yara smirked.

"Please."

"Anything you want, Dany," she said, her smirk softening into a smile as she slid between the sheets and pulled the small Khaleesi to her, burying her nose in her hair.

"Thank you for coming," Dany signed, near sleep.

"My pleasure," Yara whispered breathily.

#

With a deep breath, Dany awoke. When her eyes opened, she was greeted by the site of Yara. clad in a loose, translucent shirt, sitting cross-legged atop the bedspread, watching her intently. Dany slowly sat up. "What are you—" She scrunched her nose, unable to continue. Yara passed Dany the mug she had been nursing, and Dany drank without protest. Yara moved to sit on her heals behind Dany and started massaging her temples. "I thought I was past this."

"It may take your body a few days to adjust. Or it may never adjust."

Dany's back straightened in surprise. "Never?"

"Some people aren't meant to ride the sea. Some are meant to ride horses. Still others—a select few—are meant to ride dragons," Yara teased, temporarily abandoning the massage to hug Dany close. "The sea is my domain. Perhaps yours is the air." Dany swiveled in Yara's embrace to face her, encircling her arms around Yara's neck. "You're worried." Yara observed in surprise.

"I'm thinking," Dany amended. Yara's brows furrowed. "I'm wondering if this is not meant to be. Me of the air and you of the sea."

Yara's look of consternation gave way to amusement. She leaned her forehead against Dany's and ran her nose down hers. "We're the horizon, Khaleesi." She pressed a chaste kiss to Dany's lips. "Destined always to meet." Yara gripped Dany's hips before ducking her head to plant butterfly kisses down her neck and across her shoulder, "To touch."

The door opened and the girls jumped apart.

"I see you're feeling better," Tyrion announced, a wry smile spreading across his face.

"Much," Dany smiled in return before sipping more tea as Yara passed her the mug.

"In my experience the company of a naked woman can improve most any situation," he added, eyeing Dany's disheveled nightgown and Yara's thin shirt. "I think you are learning the same."

Dany made no motion to fix her appearance but through gritted teeth growled, "Lord Tyrion, did you need something?"

"Unfortunately, yes, your highness, this is not just a social call. You are wanted on deck. Varys' little birds have delivered an interesting message."

"I'll see you on deck shortly, Tyrion," Dany said, clearly dismissing him. When the door closed behind him, Dany muttered, "Terrible timing," as she moved to get up.

"He's right though," Yara said, pulling Dany back down into a kiss and allowing one hand to slide inside her dress to fondle her breast. "A naked woman makes everything better."

Dany moaned before breaking away. "I have to get ready."

"I will help you," Yara said, rising with her.

Dany turned and held her at arm's length. "I'm sure you'd give me the help I most want—" Yara reached out and cupped her mound causing Dany to bite her tongue. "—but that's not the help I need right now." Dany forced herself to step away. Then she unexpectedly closed the distance between them again. "But you can have your way with me after," Dany whispered, pressing her length against the taller girl and watching with delight as desire pooled in her eyes.

"Let us hope this meeting is brief," Yara sighed as Dany put space between them once more.

Several hours later the men were still yammering. Yara had taken to staring relentlessly at Dany. It has started accidentally. The sight of a bruise on the neck she had given the Khaleesi last night had caught her attention. Then it was the curve of her ass. Then the iced crystal of her eyes. She gave up trying to focus after that and instead settled on staring at her, fantasizing about all the things she'd do to her when they returned below deck.

At first Dany had brushed off catching Yara's gaze as a coincidence, but soon realized that the woman was indeed checking her out. And now Yara's eyes never left her. It wasn't uncomfortable, but it was making her squirm. Heat pooled low in her belly, and the chiffon of her dress did nothing to disguise the hardening of her nipples. No one seemed to notice, except—and this could have been paranoia—Tyrion, who seemed to be smiling strangely at her.

She couldn't focus on what they were supposed to be talking about. They had to change course. That much was accepted by all. But the precise adjustment was hotly contested. Most (but not all) agreed that they should make landfall more north. But then there was the question of which shore of Westeros to steer toward. Some wanted to sail to the western shore, while others wanted to sail up the east coast. And then there was the question of how far north. Some advocated they sail as far north as Winterfell while others argued for a destination closer to their final one.

She couldn't keep straight who supported what route, didn't know what she herself preferred, and was almost past the point of caring.

"I think we should recess so our queen can regain her sea legs and the rest of us can get some food. And drink. Perhaps then we can find a path forward we can all agree on." Tyrion toasted before emptying his goblet. He gave Dany a subtle nod, and she inclined her head in gratitude.

Everyone in the party readily agreed to the respite, and as they rose together toward the galley, Dany cut away and headed toward her chambers with Yara at her heels.

As soon as Dany closed the door behind them, Yara pressed her up against it.

"Too long," Yara complained against her mouth.

"Take off your clothes," Dany ordered.

"Yours first," Yara countered, making quick work of the wrapped dress, which was soon pooled at Dany's feet. Yara picked her up, and instinctively Dany wrapped her legs around Yara's hips. "You will soon rule the seven kingdoms. Then, like all your subjects, I will have to bow to your every demand," Yara said, as she walked them toward the bed.

"I am your Khaleesi _now_ ," Dany protested.

"Really, you are _a_ Khaleesi. Though if you insist on being mine, I won't object."

"Then I insist." Dany yelped as Yara dropped them onto the bed.

"You are mine," Yara sat up, studying her.

"Now take off your clothes." Yara laughed and complied. "One day you will rule all of Westeros, what will that leave me?"

Dany moved to sit up, but Yara pushed her back down into the mattress. Dany's eyebrows knitted together. "You will have the Iron Islands."

"The Iron Islands will have conditional independence. They will be under your law still."

"I think my law about rape is reasonable," Dany was starting to get annoyed. She finally had Yara alone. In fact, Dany was naked beneath her, and all the woman wanted to do was talk politics.

"I don't disagree. But it is your law."

"Will you just kiss me already?"

"You get to be boss everywhere, but not here. Here, in the bedroom, I get to be boss sometimes. Now close your eyes."

Finally, Dany understood, and she could feel wetness soak her panties. "Please kiss me." Yara rolled her eyes and then leaned down and captured her lips sweetly.

Yara shook her head and laughed, "I'm not sure you understand how not to give orders or how to obey those of others."

"I do. See, my eyes are closed. It's just that I've been waiting for hours to kiss you, and I couldn't stand waiting for another second." Yara felt her own wetness grow.

"Delayed gratification, Khaleesi." Yara leaned her face in close so Dany could feel her lips move against her skin as she spoke. "It's a powerful thing," she teased. Dany's eyes flashed open when she felt rope wrap around her wrists. Yara tied her hands to the headboard, then shimmed down her body. "Trust me," she whispered, nuzzling Dany's hair. "I'll be right back." She returned a minute later with a bag that she set down on the bed beside them.

"What's that?" Dany asked.

Yara smiled, plucking a feather from the bag and running it down Dany's body in response, watching her squirm when it passed over her sensitive spots. She stroked Dany's neck with it, circled her breasts with it, ran it up and down her inner thighs until Dany was bucking her hips off the mattress. Yara firmly pressed her hips back down.

"Stay still."

"Please," Dany hissed.

"Please what," Yara asked, sliding the feather over her slit.

"Please touch me," Dany begged, twisting against her bonds.

"I am touching you, Khaleesi."

"More," Dany demanded, her eyes rolling back in pleasure.

Yara set the feather aside and pulled out something more solid, which she pressed against Dany's opening. "Open your eyes." Dany did. "Watch." Yara pushed the head of the phallus-shaped device inside her slowly, and then pulled it back out. Dany's eyelids slipped shut. "Dany," Yara warned. "Look at me." Dany forced her eyes open and watched in fascination as Yara strapped the device to her waist and settled herself between Dany's legs. Inch by excruciating inch, Yara slid the entire thing into her and then inch by inch pulled it out. A second later she slammed herself into Dany who cried out in surprise. Yara continued to ride the queen roughly until they both came and Yara collapsed on top of her in exhaustion.

After a few moments when they had caught their breath, Dany requested to be untied. Yara loosened the ropes, allowing her to slide her wrists free, and they immediately went to Yara's face, pulling it to hers.

"If that's how you rule, you can be my queen," Dany whispered, near sleep.

"Even as your queen, I would serve you," Yara responded, gathering the spent queen to her chest. The two fell asleep in a tangle of limbs.


	2. Chapter 2

Dany lay on her stomach with Yara on top of her, drawing lazy circles across her bare back.

Dany purred. "This reminds me of a game I used to play as a child."

"Hmmm?"

"Here, your turn." Dany sat up, and Yara slid from her back as they traded positions.

"Okay, I'm going to draw something, and you have to guess what it is."

Dany was all concentration as she went to work tracing the outline of a figure, but 10 seconds into her masterpiece, Yara's giggles shook her whole body. "You are so predictable, my queen. It's a dragon."

Dany was silent.

"I'm right, aren't I?" When Yara received no response, she spum onto her back to take in the sight of the clearly annoyed Khaleesi. "I thought so. That was my guess before you even started." The line of Dany's pursed lips became even thinner. "Seriously? You can't be mad that I guessed right. That was the point!"

"That's not the point! You didn't even let me finish."

Yara sat up and wrapped her arms around Dany's neck. "After last night and this afternoon, I didn't think you were this difficult to please. Besides you I let you finish then," she teased, before pulling her into a deep kiss.

"Hey!" Dany attempted to protest, but Yara slid her tongue into her mouth effectively stifling her. "I'm wet already," she whined when they broke for air. Yara slid one hand to the juncture of Dany's thighs and pulled back a finger shiny and slick.

"So wet," she agreed, sticking the finger in her mouth before returning her hand to stroke the top of Dany's thigh. "Are you always this insatiable?"

"No." She sighed as Yara buried her face between her breasts. "You do something to me."

"What? This?" Yara asked innocently as licked a tight circle around Dany's nipple and then blew on it. Dany arched her back in response and mumbled incoherently. "Or maybe this?" Her thumb circled Dany's clit.

"Yara," Dany exhaled, her hips circling with Yara's thumb.

"No?" Yara ceased her actions. "What is it then?"

"Fuck, Yara."

"What?"

Dany reached down for Yara's hand and brought it back to her opening. "Fuck me." Yara had Dany unraveled in seconds. After coming down, Dany caught her breath and answered. "You unhinge me. In every way." She brought Yara's hand to her lips and pressed a kiss to the palm of it. "Yes, it's this." She cupped Yara's face and kissed her. "And that, too." Then Dany hugged her close. "But it's more than all of that. It's just you. I'm so glad you came to me."

"Last night?" Yara asked, pulling back to look at this Khaleesi as she spoke so openly.

"I mean at all. That you left home to find me. It's hard to believe that I lived so long without you."

Yara sighed. "Honestly, I didn't have much of a choice. If I didn't leave, my uncle would have killed me. The idea to find you came from the announcement of his intention to bed and wed you."

"Ah, that big cock he wanted to give me," Dany laughed, looking off the side. Yara buried her face in the crook of her neck.

"Part of me would like to see his face when he learns that I laid you first." She bit down softly on her shoulder, and Dany shuddered.

"Was that the plan?"

"Of course not. I didn't presume that I could seduce you. I came here looking for a political alliance, for help. It wasn't until I saw you that my mind wandered to less professional aspirations." Yara sucked at her earlobe. "And it wasn't until you asked about whether marriage demands were also part of _my_ offer that I began to think my desire might be realized and returned."

Dany looked thoughtfully.

"I got more than I could have hoped for," Yara added.

"You want to go home?" Dany's mind wandered back to their itinerary.

"I do. But as much as I want to, I think we should sail to Winterfell."

Dany smiled, and stood, disengaging herself from the Ironborn.

#

She reconvened the small council and, after thanking them for their input, laid out her plan. She fielded a few questions, but found much less resistance than she'd expected. Yara asked only, "Are you sure?" And Dany had answered insistently in the affirmative. With the matter decided, they migrated to the dining hall, all cheer and optimism. Yara walked a few paces behind Dany, who stopped and looked around for her. When she spotted Yara hanging back, she retraced her steps to be next to the girl. "What's wrong? Why are you way back here?"

"I just didn't know if… I didn't want to…"

"What—or who—I do is my business. It concerns no one else. No one has ever commented on my taking Daario as a lover."

Yara's eyebrows knitted. "Daario?"

"Later," Dany dismissed, waving her hand. "If someone were to try to make it their business, I would terminate their position in my Khalasar. My council knows the alliance I've made with you and your brother. You are part of this now. Your place is by my side as an ally, whether or not we share a bed." Dany raised her eyebrows as if to invite a challenge. "I have enough people following me, I could use one to walk beside me," she added, pressing a kiss to Yara's temple and taking her hand, dragging her forward. "Besides no one is even paying attention."

They sat side by side on the hall bench. Dany was right. No one was paying attention to her presence, but that was only because everyone was so captivated by Dany, which Yara understood. She spent much of her time watching Dany in her peripheral vision. Yara was quiet, adding little to the table conversation, but given that many of the topics covered past events she didn't know much about, no one noticed her silence as unusual. She listened, trying to get caught up on as much as possible, and chatted some with her brother across from her. But her listening and chatting abilities were compromised by the significant distraction sitting next to her. Dany caught her staring several times, but seemed to ignore it. Tyrion made no effort to hide his humor, the corners of his eyes crinkling whenever he saw her staring. With the exception of a dark-haired man a few spots down though, no one else noticed Yara's singular focus on the queen. Yara tried to concentrate on the food in front of her, but found she had no appetite. She pushed it around with her fork for something to do and was seriously considering cutting out early when she felt Dany's foot rub against her leg.

"You don't like the meal?"

Yara sipped her ale and shook her head, "No, it's not that. I'm just not very hungry."

"You should eat to keep your energy up," Theon urged from across the table.

Yara nodded but made no move to bring the fork to her mouth.

"Maybe you'd like something else to eat," Tyrion, in good spirits from the wine, looked over at Dany and raised a brow, before he added, "We can have something else brought for you."

"That's alright. I'm really just not hungry," she declared, pushing her plate forward.

"More wine, then!" Tyrion raised his goblet.

Yara raised hers and then drained it, which brought cheers from Tyrion and others who threw their own drinks back as well. As the alcohol began to flow freely and the party grew more raucous, Dany scooted closer to Yara, who shortly thereafter stood, announced her retirement, and walked out. Dany watched her go in confusion and turned back to the table to see Tyrion chuckling into his goblet.

#

Yara lounged in a bath in her quarters, resting the back of her neck on the edge of the tub. She'd piled her hair atop her head and was soaking off the salt that had accumulated on her skin.

"What the hell was that?" Dany, who'd appeared from nowhere, asked quietly as she stood over Yara, who in response jumped, sending water splashing over the rim, which in turn caused Dany to jump. "Seven hells, I didn't mean to scare you."

"What are you doing?"

"I came to check on you," Dany stated as if it were obvious. "You were quiet at dinner."

"I didn't have much to say."

"You didn't eat."

"I wasn't hungry."

"You weren't you."

"You don't even know me." There it was. Yara could tell her words wounded Dany who wore her heart on her sleeve, but Dany made no move to leave. Instead, she reached up and undid her dress, letting it slide slowly off her shoulders, down her torso, over her hips, and to the ground. She stripped off her undergarments and climbed into the tub. Yara's eyes had darkened with desire, but she only remarked, "It's a small tub."

"Good thing I'm a small Khaleesi." Dany slid on top of Yara, the ends of her silver hair getting wet along the way. "And you're wrong. I don't know _everything_ about you. But I do know you. I have a lot more still to learn about you, to be sure. _We_ have a lot to learn about each other. But that will happen with time."

Yara said nothing for a moment, letting her eyes close. "Perhaps I will fail to hold your interest for that long."

Dany put her hands on Yara's shoulder. "What do you mean?"

"You have no shortage of admirers."

"A queen needs support. Being respected is essential to my—"

"Not respected, loved."

Dany knew she was getting somewhere with Yara, even though her progress felt excruciatingly slow. Dany pulled her forward, so that she could scoot around and sit behind Yara, resting her chin on Yara's shoulder and running her hands up and down her arms.

"I can't help it if men want to fuck me. That doesn't mean they get to."

"Some do."

"What in the name of your Drowned God are you upset about?" Dany demanded, squeezing her tighter.

"Daario is an attractive man."

"You saw him at dinner. Yes, he is. And he's good at fucking women. My husband had been dead a long time. I needed a big cock, and he was all too willing to oblige." Yara sat forward, but Dany refused to release her grip and was pulled up with her.

"He still fancies you. I can't compete with him. I don't want to. You have this whole world that I know nothing about, and—"

"You don't need to compete with him. There is no competition. You can't win me, nor can he. I've chosen you. I was never going to marry Daario. He and I both knew that. And who cares if you don't know my world, I'm remaking the whole thing anyway. You can remake it with me." Taking a chance, Dany let her hand drop to the base of Yara's stomach. When there was no sign of objection, she let it drop further, her fingers reaching out to stroke Yara's slit before pushing inch by inch into her opening.

"I was trying to get clean," Yara sighed relaxing her back against Dany's chest.

"But getting dirty is so much more fun." Dany reached up to cup a breast, massaging the soft flesh and then rolling the nipple between her fingers. She switched hands and moved to the other one. Yara was squirming against her, which only intensified the pressure and encouraged Dany to pick up the pace of her fingers. She started kissing and sucking on her neck until Yara came undone, the spasms of her body sending waves of bathwater over the edge.

When she'd recovered, she turned around to face Dany. "You can't just finger me to end an argument, you know." Dany smiled and lowered her mouth to Yara's breast, pushing her back to the other side of the tub and climbing on top of her.

"I know," she said, switching to the other breast and replacing her mouth with her hand.

"Fuck, no more. I can't…"

"You should've eaten," Dany teased. "Ah!" She yelped when Yara stood, lifting her up.

"I know what I want to eat," Yara smiled wickedly, depositing Dany, who was still dripping, onto her bed and then pouncing on her. Yara's head lowered to her center, and her tongue flicked out to taste her. "Finally, something I have an appetite for." She plunged her tongue into Dany's opening, and Dany reflexively grabbed her hair as Yara started sucking her clit, sending Dany spiraling out of control. When she sat up, Dany's juices dribbled down her chin.

Dany was still breathing hard, when she propped herself up on her elbows. "Shall I stay here tonight?"

"I never demand, but I'm up for anything."

"Give me something to wear then."

"You, on the other hand, demand often," Yara laughed. "And, no, I think I like you better naked."

Dany raised an eyebrow. Yara smirked in response, pulling the bed sheets over their heads. They lay in companionable silence for a while. Yara's breathing became steady and even. "You asleep?"

A laugh rumbled from deep in Yara's chest. "It may surprise you to know that I find it hard to fall asleep with you beside me."

Dany turned on her side to regard the ironborn. "Do I disturb your sleep?"

The corners of Yara's mouth turned downward in wry amusement. "Hardly. I sleep fine. It's just hard to fall asleep when you are close enough to touch. You excite me too much." Yara reached out and wrapped her fingers around Dany's bracelet-clad wrist, pulling her hand to her heart.

"Your heart is pounding."

"That's because of you." She moved Dany's hand down to her center. "That's also because of you." She brought Dany's fingers to her mouth and sucked them clean. "So you see, when you're close, you're all I can concentrate on. My mind starts to fantasize about all the things I want to do to you."

Dany's mouth had become dry, and her pupils large. "So do them."

"All in good time, love. I don't want to scare you off."

"I don't scare easily." Dany shimmied closer until her entire length was pressed against Yara. "Do what you want to me."

"It's late. And I've already—"

"Please," Dany purred, pressing her body insistently against the Greyjoy.

"Curse the Drowned God." Yara kicked herself over Dany and sat heavily on her hips.

Dany could feel Yara's wetness against the skin of her abdomen. "Don't pretend you don't want this."

"Oh have no delusions. I want this. I always want this. It takes all my self-control to not pound you relentlessly just to see how much you can take before you break." Yara began at Dany's hand, kissing her palm, her wrist, the crook of her elbow, her shoulder, her collarbone, the base of her neck, behind her ear. She did the same to the other side before dropping down to her feet, kissing a slow trajectory up each leg. She soon had Dany trembling beneath her. Yara planted wet kisses over her face, chest, and abdomen, where she stopped to rest her chin on Dany's stomach.

"Kiss me," Dany whispered huskily, pulling Yara up to her mouth. Yara bit her lip and kissed her until her lips started to swell. They rolled over in a tangle of limbs, so Dany ended up straddling Yara's thigh. She bucked against it.

Yara reached up to grip Dany's hips, digging her fingers into them. "Keep moving, Khaleesi." Dany continued to rub herself against Yara, who adjusted her hips so that she could press herself against Dany's other leg. Dany's breath hitched as she felt Yara's wetness push into her. Her pace became frantic. Yara released hold of Dany's thighs to fondle her breasts. "Come for me, Khaleesi," she commanded as she expertly caressed them. Dany cried out almost immediately and crumpled forward. Yara smiled in satisfaction, relishing the sight of Dany in climax and enjoying the knowledge that she had the power to bring it about. Yara flipped them over and rode Dany to her own climax, collapsing onto the silver-haired girl, completely spent.

Dany wrapped her arms around Yara's frame, nuzzling her hair and breathing deeply of her scent. The two lay half-dozing in each other's arms, a place where time had no meaning.

Finally, Yara pushed herself up onto her forearms. "I worry about you."

"You worry about me?" Dany practically guffawed. "I'm the last person anyone should worry about. I can handle myself. Don't be deceived by appearances. I'm more than just some little princess. I'm certainly no damsel in distress."

"I don't worry about you for those reasons. You handle yourself and those around you. Plus, dragons."

Dany laughed, "Yes, Drogon is a game-changer." Dany tilted her head quizzically, "What do you worry about then?"

"Your humanity."

"My humanity?"

"You are too good."

Dany truly scoffed at that. "My original plan before taking the masters' fleets was to raze their cities. Tyrion compared me to my father," she trailed off.

"The Mad King did not free slaves. Few rulers have made such a bold decision, and fewer still would have cared to enforce it so relentlessly in the face of such consistent resistance. Why did you do it?"

"It was the right thing to do," Dany shrugged, narrowing her eyes in consideration.

"And demanding that we Ironborn give up raiding and raping?"

"I meant what I said about leaving the world better than we found it."

"Exactly. You don't think like any of the rulers I know," Yara leaned to one side, freeing her hand to twirl a strand of Dany's hair between her fingers. "Tradition, precedent—they are not enough justification for you to continue any policy or practice."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Not at all. It gives me hope," she leaned down to kiss her lips. "But it also makes me worry. For you. I fear you'll make a decision for the benefit of others that will end up costing _you_ everything."

"I didn't send those ships south just for you, if that's what you're thinking. We need Dorne. We need an offensive from the South. And if we can mount an offensive from the West all the better. I'll get you your Iron Islands, but that's not what this was about."

Yara nodded, "Good."

Dany scrutinized face. "You're not entirely convinced."

"Of the motivation behind your strategy? No, I believe that."

"You think my moral compass will lead me astray."

"I think your moral compass may compromise your ability to make the best decision."

"You were right earlier when you said we didn't know each other. You haven't seen my merciless side. What I've done to the masters, what I planned to do to their cities. What I did to the Khals when they tried to— "

"Have you ever had to choose between yourself and someone you respected, even loved? I trust you can be ruthless to your enemies, but what happens when the right choice demands a sacrifice you don't want to make? When it's not so black and white, what will you do?"

Dany bit her lip. "I don't know. But I believe that I will know what to do when the time comes. Have faith in me."

"You may be the only thing I do believe in," Yara relented. Her fingers released Dany's curls and traced down the length of her side. "You, Stormborn, are a tiny tornado. Nothing in your way will stay standing for long."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thank you for reading! I just got to watch the season finale, and now I'm even more excited about this pairing—anyone else hoping Dany getting rid of Daario was at least partially because of her interest in Yara? Yeah, I get the whole marrying to form alliances, but who is she going to marry, for real?! I wasn't expecting to ever ship someone other than Drogo with Daenerys, but after seeing that short scene in "Battle of the Bastards" I was sold on these two. Anyway, I originally intended this as a one-shot but couldn't stop obsessing about this pairing, and with the finale leaving the possibility of them so open, I will just run with this as long as it holds my interest.

Dany meandered aimlessly along the deck, sipping tea from the mug she held close to her face, letting the steam warm her. She shuffled up to the railing to look out across the water. They were making good time, and it was clear they had left the south behind them. The sun had yet to break the horizon, and the pre-dawn air had an icy chill. She was bundled up, but the layers did little to protect her from the cutting wind, which managed to slip through the tightly stitched threads and slice her skin. Insomnia had driven her from below deck. She'd woken hours ago. After trying everything she could think of to fall back asleep and finding all her efforts ineffective, she'd given up and gotten up.

Something was bothering her. Maybe it was winter, which was here, _obviously_. She shrank more deeply into her cloak. She was wary of it. The sting of the ice foretold of the coming of another war, a primal one. She shuddered involuntarily.

"Cold?" Dany nearly jumped out of her skin. "I'd offer you a coat, but you're wearing… what… three?"

"Daario," she greeted.

"What are you doing out here?

"I couldn't sleep."

"Why don't you come back to bed with me? I might be able to help." Dany smirked, but put a hand on his chest to stop his advance. Confusion flitted across his features. "I haven't seen you in so long. I've missed you," he said sincerely, reaching for her. Dany cocked her head a degree or two, unintentionally telegraphing pity for what was about to transpire. "What?"

"Walk with me."

Daario took a deep breath, and his flirty smile disappeared. "As you wish." They walked together in silence for a while.

"When we reach Dragonstone, you will be making landfall."

" _You_?"

"Yes, you. You will set up a camp on the island, and then I'm sending you and the rest of the Second Sons west to take Casterly Rock while we continue north," Dany finally admitted.

"You're sending me away?" Daario was taken aback.

"If I'm going to rule in Westeros, I need to make alliances."

"You can't have a lover and make alliances?" He scoffed.

"The best way to make alliances is with marriage. I need to be unattached and available for such an opportunity."

"So you plan to lure the noble houses to the table by offering yourself? That sounds dangerously close to prostitution. Are you a queen or a whore?"

"Marrying to solidify political alliances is a tradition going back generations."

"Since when are you one to uphold tradition for tradition's sake?" Daario shook his head dismissively. "You are above all that. You don't need to marry to make an alliance. Look how far you've come without one already. Besides who are you marrying this time?"

"I don't know. Maybe no one."

"Fine, marry if you must. I'm not proud. I don't care what perfumed aristocrat sits beside you in the throne room. I don't want a crown. I want you… I love you. And I make you happy. You know I do. Let me stay with you. Marry if you wish, but keep me as your lover just the same. Such a practice is certainly not unfamiliar to the kings of Westeros."

"So that's what you want? To be my mistress?" Dany sneered. "No. No, absolutely not. You deserve better."

"Let me decide for myself what I deserve."

"I'm sorry."

"Being your lover is better than being another woman's husband."

"That depends on the woman."

"Who comes after you? Who can ever follow Daenerys Stormborn the mother of dragons?"

"A great number of women, I imagine."

"Keep me by your side."

"I can't." Dany's eyes had become hollow. Daario could see her mind was made up and nothing was going to change it.

"The dwarf told you to do this."

"No one tells me to do anything."

"Clever fellow. Can't argue with his logic. I'm more use to you if I'm conquering those you can't bring into your fold through marriage."

"Don't get angry."

"I'm not angry. I'm full of self-pity. I swore my sword, my life to you. I will do whatever you command. But I want you to know that I love you, that I want to be with you whatever the circumstances." Dany reached out and touched his face. It would be an insult to kiss him now. He stood, hoping physical separation would help him establish emotional distance as well. "You'll get that throne you want so badly, I'm sure of it. I hope it brings you happiness." Dany wasn't about to admit that she had begun to wonder the same thing. She tried not to think about it. "I pity the lords of Westeros. They have no idea what's coming for them." Daario smiled genuinely, then bowed and walked away, leaving her on deck with her thoughts and rising sun.

"Farewell," she whispered to his retreating form.

Dany took a drink of her tea and sighed when she realized it had cooled significantly.

"Can I offer you another?"

Dany jumped. "I'm getting concerned about how easy it is for people to sneak up on me."

"You were lost in thought, or so it seemed," Yara said, taking Dany's still mostly full mug and passing her a new one, which she sipped gratefully.

"What are you doing up here?"

"Same as you, I imagine." Her mouth twisted in a lopsided smile. "Couldn't sleep."

"Why?"

"The lack of a warm body beside me," she teased, leaning into Dany, who shot her an apologetic look, which Yara waved off. "I was worried about you is all."

"I'm worried about me too," Dany admitted.

Yara's eyebrows jumped to her hairline. Daenerys was not one to verbalize vulnerability. "What troubles you? The coming war?"

"No," Dany said confidently. "The war will go my way or it won't. And I believe it will." She looked behind Yara where Daario's retreating form had been just moments before. "You know what scares me? I just said farewell to a man who loves me, a man I thought I cared for, and I felt nothing. Just impatient to get on with it."

"Did you love him?"

"I thought I did. For a time. Now I'm not so sure." Dany bit her lip. "I wonder if I've ever truly loved anyone."

"What about the Khal?"

Dany nodded her acknowledgement. "I think I loved him. I certainly thought I loved him while I was with him. But I wonder now if it were Drogo instead of Daario, if I would be able to make the same decision? Would it be as easy to say goodbye to him? I fear the answer is yes. I don't know. But I fear it."

"You're not incapable of love," Yara said, sensing Dany's deep-seated concern.

"I hope you're right," Dany sighed, unconvinced.

"I am," Yara insisted, setting the old mug aside, and taking Dany by the shoulders, forcing their eyes to meet.

"I'm selfish though. I'm aware of it. And still, I don't care. I choose this selfishness."

"What is it you want?" Yara's eyes searched Dany's.

"The Iron Throne."

"When you get it, will you be happy?"

Dany's eyebrows knotted together. Hadn't Daario just implied that she wouldn't? Her features twisted.

"Have you given it any thought? Why do you want the throne? What will you do once you have it? Before you declare yourself selfish, you need to answer some of these questions. Maybe you are selfish. I don't know enough to say for sure at this point. But, what I do know of you suggests otherwise. You are the breaker of chains, are you not?"

Dany's eyes glazed over. "I needed an army."

"I don't think it was that simple."

"Maybe it was," Dany's eyes widened and came back to life, betraying her self-doubt. "Maybe every good thing I've done has merely been an unintended consequence of a selfishly motivated action."

"I don't believe that," Yara pulled Daenerys' face to hers. "You don't believe that."

"I don't know anymore."

"Well, I do. You are good, my love. Something has gotten to you. I'm not sure what that is, but I promise you, we'll work it out together." Yara pressed a kiss to the side of her face. "Right before an invasion is about the worst possible timing to have an identity crisis, Khaleesi." Dany barked out a laugh. "Come to breakfast. We'll sort this all out before we arrive in Winterfell." Dany nodded and dutifully followed Yara, who'd taken hold of her hand.

#

The dining hall was all but empty, so the two had their choice of seats. Yara steered Dany to a table off to the side where they could keep to themselves.

"So tell me, Queen of Meereen, what is it you want?"

Dany blinked dumbly. "Can we start with an easier question?"

Yara tried in vain to suppress a smile. "Alright." She thought for a moment, then leaned in conspiratorially and whispered, "Where do you most like being kissed?" A tremor ran up Dany's spine and blood flooded her cheeks.

Yara, proud of the effect she had, straightened her back and returned to her plate.

Dany took a long drink of her tea, willing her heart rate to return to normal. "When this all started, it wasn't supposed to be me."

"Hhmm?" Yara intoned, chewing a piece of fish.

"It was supposed to be my brother. He gave me to Khal Drogo in exchange for Drogo helping him acquire the throne. Obviously, that didn't happen."

"Your brother traded you?" It wasn't like this sort of thing was rare in the Seven Kingdoms, but still Yara suddenly found it hard to swallow.

"Yes."

"How?" She shuddered.

Dany put down her fork. "How what?"

"You wanted to marry the Khal?" 

"No," Dany said, recalling her pleading to not be married off.

"Then how did it happen?"

"My brother made me."

"How could he make you?" Yara was trying to reconcile the Dany sitting beside her with a Dany who could be bullied into doing something she didn't want to.

"He was my brother. We wanted to go home. It was the only way," Dany explained matter-of-factly. She took a bite of a biscuit, chewed, and swallowed. "It worked out for the best. Being Khaleesi gave me power, taught me to be strong, and brought me my dragons. It made me who I am today." Dany sat up a little taller, an aura of royalty glowing around her. She dropped her voice, but her eyes never left her plate. "Made me the kind of woman you'd like to fuck."

Yara nearly choked on her food then laughed in pleasure. "For the record, Khaleesi," she tucked Dany's hair behind her ear, "I would want to fuck you whether I met you as a queen or a beggar."

Dany still refused to look up, but couldn't suppress a smile. "And for the record," she traced a finger down the cut of the front of her dress, "my favorite place," Yara swallowed hard, "to be kissed," is here, "Dany pointed to the sensitive spot behind her ear.

"Tease," Yara chided, before pressing her lips to Dany's neck. Once. Twice. She could see through the front of Dany's dress that she was getting to her. She smiled against her neck and pulled back. "So, you wanted to go home?"

"Mmmhmm. We had no home. No family. We were living off of charity."

"Home. Independence. Family." Yara repeated these words slowly. She turned to look squarely at Dany. "You don't need the Iron Throne to have those things, you know. In fact, you already have them."

"Some of them," Dany corrected. "What family do I have?"

Yara dropped her hand to Dany's thigh, "It's up to you to choose or make one. You can do that anywhere." Yara paused before pointing out, "It's not like you're going to find family in Westeros."

Dany nodded. "I don't disagree, but my family is from Westeros. My home is Westeros. The throne is rightfully mine. It was taken by a usurper."

"So you wish to claim your birthright."

"Yes. And that used to be the extent of it. But now it's more than that. I know if I rule I can make Westeros better."

"And you want to do that?"

Dany looked at her as though she were daft. "Of course."

"Why?"

"Because it's my responsibility. It's the right thing to do."

"What do you get out of all this?"

"What do you mean? I get the throne."

"What does that get you?"

"I'll be Queen of Westeros."

"And what does that man? What does that get you that you don't already have?"

Dany was silent.

Yara took a long drink and waited. "You have wealth. You have power, yes?"

"Yes, and I have no desire to acquire more of either. But Westeros belonged to my father. It should belong to me. It's mine by right."

"Your right and responsibility."

"I'm aware that this war doesn't end when I'm sitting on the throne."

"Oh, and how does it end then?"

"I don't know that it ever ends," Dany sighed.

"You're in the great game now, love," Tyrion inserted, taking a seat across from the two women. "Best you recognize it."

"The game has no end," Yara murmured staring off into the distance. "If you're looking for a happy ending, you'll not find one."

"Quite right," Tyrion acknowledged, helping him self to breakfast ale. "You must enjoy playing the game. That is the only happiness to be found."

"Maybe it's not happiness I seek."

"You're not happy now though?" Yara inquired, genuinely curious.

"I'm not unhappy. Nor am I satisfied."

Tyrion spit some of his drink back into his mug unable to suppress his laugh. "Few in the game ever are satisfied. Enough is never enough. Power. Wealth. Women. Whatever it is—there is always more to be had, and those who play always want more."

Dany chewed slowly as if on her thoughts. "I hope that's not it. But I imagine that if that is the case, I would be blind to my own ambition like the rest? No," Dany shook her head, expelling the thought. "It's peace I seek. When I have peace, when Westeros has peace, I will be satisfied. I will have fulfilled my duty to my family and my family's duty to the Seven Kingdoms."

"So it's peace not happiness you're after?" Yara asked.

"I guess so."

"That you may get," Yara said. "But peace is never permanent."

Tyrion laughed, "It has a nasty habit of breaking rather quickly, in fact."

Dany reached across the table and took a swig of Tyrion's ale. "Not the peace I envision. When my war is over, there will be those loyal to me and there will be those who are dead."

Yara leaned a ways back, taking in the fiery woman next to her as if seeing her for the first time. She wasn't alarmed or appalled. She was amazed, and she imagined this wouldn't be the last time she felt that way about Dany.

Tyrion had lost interest in so serious a conversation so early in the morning. "Ran into Daario," he said, shoving a chunk of meat into his mouth.

Dany raised an eyebrow.

"He's not happy with you."

"I wouldn't expect him to be."

"You turned away a man who truly loved you because he would have been a liability to the Seven Kingdoms. That's the kind of self-sacrifice that makes for a good ruler. Unless, of course, there was another motivation," Tyrion eyes flashed to Yara, who was listening intently, and back to Dany.

"Daario and I were never going to be married."

"I think he knew that, but I also think he imagined you'd remain together even if you took another man's name."

"I never intended that. I never promised that."

"You didn't have to. He couldn't help but give his heart to you. How many men's hearts belong to you?" Tyrion wondered, thinking of Jorah.

Apparently, Dany's mind had gone to the same place, as she dropped her eyes to the table. "I don't try to lead them on."

"Make no apologies," Tyrion commanded. "This ability to enchant men is part of the reason you broke it off with Daario. You are now free to captivate the men of Westeros to construct whatever alliances you need. Mind, you can't marry them all," he teased.

"More hearts to break," Dany joked. "Alright, Tyrion, I've got a raven or two to send," she rose from the bench. "You coming?" She turned to Yara.

Yara's eyes had clouded, but she answered with a clear voice. "Yes, of course." She drained the rest of her goblet and stood as well.

#

"You dismissed Daario so you'd be free to pursue other men?" Yara accused as soon as the door was shut behind them.

Dany was caught off-guard. "Yes."

"Yes?!" Yara practically roared.

"What about me? Are you going to dismiss me as well?"

"I hadn't…"

"Maybe you are as selfish as you thought."

Dany's eyes shimmered. "Yara... I didn't mean…"

"Yeah, well, you did," Yara spat, turning back to the door.

"No."

Yara paused with her hand on the doorknob. "No?" She laughed disdainfully. "You can't command me in here."

Dany's hand suddenly came to rest on top of Yara's on the knob. "Please, don't go." Yara looked up, surprised at the speed and silence with which the Khaleesi had moved. A few tears were sliding silently down her cheeks. "I'm not commanding, I'm asking. Begging. Please stay. Let me explain."

"Oh, Seven Hells," Yara relented. "Don't cry. I don't do well with tears." She carefully wiped away Dany's tears with the pads of her thumbs. "And if anyone should be upset, it's me."

"I know!" Dany just about wailed as a fresh stream of tears began to spill down her face.

"Dammit, Dany." Yara started kissing the tears away. "Shhhh. It's okay. You're okay. Breathe." Dany collapsed into Yara, sobbing into her chest. Yara folded Dany into her arms and started rubbing her back.

Eventually, Dany's tears subsided, her breathing slowed, and she looked up through her eyelashes at Yara. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"For what?"

"For crying and making you uncomfortable." Yara shook her head dismissively and petted the top of Dany's head. "For crying at all when you're the wronged party." Yara chuckled and Dany snuggled into the warm vibrations of her chest. Her voice dropped. "And for what I'm about to say."

Yara looked terror-stricken as Dany pulled back and pulled her to sit on the bed.

"If you're going to break up with me, do it now. Don't drag it out. Don't be cruel." Dany looked hurt as she crawled into Yara's lap, wrapped her arms around her neck, and kissed her, long and slow.

"I can't. I can't part with you."

Yara deepened the kiss then. When she broke it, she barely pulled her face back a centimeter, so Dany felt more than heard her response, "Good. I don't want to be parted from you."

"You should," Dany whispered. She nuzzled her nose against Yara's, enjoying their proximity. "You were right. I'm selfish."

"If wanting to keep me makes you selfish, then never change, Daenerys Stormborn."

"You don't understand." An errant tear slipped from the corner of her eye. "I still need to be ready to marry to make alliances."

"You're asking me to stay with you as you search for a husband. You're asking me to be your mistress?"

"Not exactly."

"Or do you mean, not yet?" Yara asked pointedly.

"I may not have to marry. I'm not going to Westeros looking for eligible bachelors."

"You could marry me." Yara's lips slid to the sensitive spot behind Dany's ear. She pressed a kiss to it before nipping at it lightly, causing Dany to inhale sharply. Yara smiled against her neck and soothingly licked the reddened flesh. "Our marriage would solidify your alliance with the Iron Isles. It would give Westeros two queens. And it would mean we could do this anytime we wanted." Yara dropped an arm behind Dany's waist and flipped her onto her back on the bed.

"If I don't have to marry another lord, I would like that very much," Dany whispered.

"Have to?" Yara climbed up her body, so that when she looked down she looked directly into Dany's eyes.

"I'll do what needs to be done to rule the Seven Kingdoms."

"You don't have to marry. You're not the little girl who got married off by her brother anymore."

"You're right, I'm not. I'm choosing this."

Yara dropped down closer, her chest pressing down upon Dany's, her hair brushing Dany's face. "Don't sell yourself like this." Yara leaned her face forward and kissed each of Dany's eyelids.

"I don't want to," Dany admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Alliances forged through marriage are notoriously fickle anyway. We can find another way. Together." Yara kissed the tip of her nose.

Dany inhaled the scent of Yara's hair, "By the old Gods and the new, you smell fantastic." As she exhaled in pleasure, Yara's lips covered hers and captured her breath. When the soft kiss became stronger and rougher, Dany started to wriggle beneath her. Yara bit Dany's lower lip slowly, and once she released it, she saw Dany's pupils were huge.

"I'll do whatever you want," Dany gave in. "Just don't stop kissing me."

Yara grinned before she returned her lips to Dany's body.


	4. Chapter 4

The Khalasar drove their wooden horses over the poisoned water with single-minded focus. When they reached Dragonstone, Dany kept her word and sent the ships with the Second Sons to shore. She stood with Tyrion, Grey Worm, Missandei, and Yara on the deck as Daario and his crew prepared to depart.

"I will see you again, Daario." Her farewell was meant to be supportive, but sounded more like a command than she'd intended.

"Yes, but my joy at our reunion will not equal yours, I imagine."

"Don't say that."

"When we meet again, you'll have the Seven Kingdoms. What will I have?"

"What do you want?"

"You know the answer to that."

"It's the one thing I can't give you," Dany smiled apologetically. "Ask for anything else and it's yours."

"I want nothing else but to serve you."

"You can do so as long as it pleases you. I will always preserve a place for you. But one day, you know, you will find someone else."

"Until then I will pine for you."

"Daario, I am sorry. For causing you pain. I can't apologize for the choice I've made, but I am sorry that it has hurt you. "

"Don't be. I knew loving you would hurt, that's the danger of playing with fire. And still I couldn't help but love you anyway. If I had to decide again, I would swear my life to you just the same. Maybe I would have found a way to keep you or fought harder for your affection." Daario paused to study her face, which was apologetic but not regretful. "Even so, I wonder if I would still have lost you to another." He saw surprise pass like a raven ever so swiftly across her features, but his attention was on the woman whom he could just catch out of the corner of his eye. He watched with both satisfaction and disappointment as her jaw dropped open slightly and her legs wobbled. "The heart is a tricky thing. I trust that even if your reason was not entirely true, your heart was."

Unable to stop himself, he stepped forward and kissed her forehead before dropping to a knee, taking her hand and bringing it to his lips. Dany remained stoic, but Yara noticeably stiffened beside her.

"I believe in you, Daenerys Stormborn. When I next see you, it will be to announce that Casterly Rock is yours." Daario stood without meeting her eyes and waved a collective goodbye to the lot.

"He'll make a good leader of the Kingsguard one day," Tyrion announced, watching the small fleet of Second Sons sailing away. Dany raised an eyebrow. "You should start thinking about these things now."

"I have been."

"Indeed?"

"Yes, I had something made for you. I'm not sure if it's quite right." She pulled out the brooch and pinned it to Tyrion's chest. "Tyrion Lannister, I name you the Hand of the Queen." Tyrion, never one to falter for words, was speechless as he kneeled.

Dany turned to the others, Grey Worm, Missandei, and Yara. "When I am queen, you will all have a place on my small council." Dany smiled modestly. "I know it'll be quite some time yet, but I wanted you to know your positions with me are secure, as long as you want them."

Grey Worm and Missandei looked at each other, then back to Dany and smiled widely. Yara's smile was noticeably more hesitant.

Dany turned to look out across the expanse of the ocean and sighed. "We're a few days out from White Harbor."

Tyrion hummed inquisitively.

"I'm impatient. I want to get on with it."

"You can't rush these things," Tyrion advised gently.

"I'm impatient nonetheless."

"You've waited your whole life to return home, so it's only natural to be impatient. But just the same, you can wait a little longer," Yara added.

"Of course," Dany demurred.

"He's right." Grey Worm, in a rare vocal display, stepped forward and nodded toward Tyrion. "Too many times conquerors give up position of advantage when end is in sight. Get excited. Rush to the victory and lose. Unsullied learned this. Position first. Keep it, advance it little at a time, and victory will follow."

Yara nodded along. "My father mostly taught me how not to rule. But there were a few things he did well. Patience, position first. This is solid advice."

"Alright, when we land at White Harbor, we will ride north. We will find these Starks. With them we will make a plan, one that exercises patience, one that ends with us at King's Landing."

"And with you on the throne," Tyrion added.

"With all of us on the throne." Dany smiled. "We rule together. All of us," she looked from one to next, acknowledging each of them. "I'm retiring to my chambers, but find me if any news arrives."

"Do you not want to be on my small council?" Dany asked over her shoulder as she unclipped her hair.

"Why do you ask?" Yara inclined her head slightly, then stepped up behind Dany to help her undo her braids. Her nimble fingers elicited a soft sigh of pleasure from Dany.

"You didn't seem particularly excited when I announced my intentions earlier."

"It's not that I'm uninterested," she stalled as she freed one side of Dany's hair and carefully ran her fingers through it to ensure there were no knots.

"Is it the rank? Or the position? Would you prefer another?" Dany tried to turn toward Yara, but Yara gently pushed her face back so she could continue working to release the second braid.

"No, it's not that. I probably am not even qualified for as high a position as the one you've offered me. And it's not the work, although I do enjoy sailing… and I imagine being on your council would curtail my travel. But then again, with your ban on raiding, I don't imagine I'd be doing much sailing elsewhere anyway." Yara had the rest of Dany's hair loose and was allowing her fingers to brush through it just for the joy of it, enjoying the silky feel and silvery shimmer.

Dany was quiet for a while, but eventually broke free of the trance subduing her and spun to face Yara. "What is it then?"

"I don't know that I want to live in King's Landing."

"That's it?"

Yara looked surprised. "It?"

"I was worried I'd offended you in some way."

"No, not at all, Dany." Yara smirked at Dany's scrunched nose and pinched lips. "Do you remember our pact?"

"The one we made when we first met?"

"Yes, that one. Your first handshake, I believe. If we can call it that."

Dany blushed crimson. "I'd never… that's not the Dothraki way. And I…"

"You are quite fun to tease, you know. You get flustered fairly easily and then your face, which is usually so guarded, reveals exactly what you're feeling." Yara ran her fingers over Dany's cheek. "You're blushing," she smiled. Dany's cheeks reddened further, and Yara laughed. "You're beautiful when you blush." The blush started to creep down her neck.

"You have to stop or I'm afraid my cheeks will catch fire," Dany joked, reaching up to pat them.

Yara took a small step forward, closing the little distance that had remained between them and leaning her face next to Dany's. "An impossible fear. Fire cannot hurt a dragon." Her tongue traced the shell of Dany's ear as she whispered dragon.

"You know…?" Dany pulled back slightly and searched Yara's eyes. "How do you know?"

Yara wrapped her arms together around Dany's waist, bringing the smaller girl into her. "I can feel it burning inside you. I can taste it on your tongue. Sometimes I even see it flicker in the depths of your eyes."

Dany couldn't break her gaze away and kept her eyes wide open as Yara pulled her mouth to hers. As soon as their faces met, Dany felt the burn of a flame licking at her lips and leaping to Yara's when they touched. Yara seemed to drink in the fire with a voracious desire, sucking at Dany's mouth and taking it all in.

"Yara," Dany growled, as they broke apart and Yara continued to kiss a blaze down her throat, her lips leaving burn-like imprints on Dany's pale skin.

"Mmmm," she purred, reluctantly tearing herself away from Dany's neck to look at her. Dany trembled at the loss of contact.

"The things you do to me." Dany shook her head, embarrassed by her own neediness.

"The things I love to do to you," Yara repeated, pressing a chaste kiss to her cheek, which was still aflame. "You know, Dany, there are quite a few rumors about you floating around the Seven Kingdoms. I am skeptical by nature, but meeting you confirmed one right away, which made me reconsider the others with an open mind."

"What rumor did meeting me confirm?"

"Your unequaled beauty."

The blush returned full-force, and Yara back-walked them toward a small sofa. "I was expecting the Dragon Queen to have scales. Needless to say, I was pleased for once to find myself proven wrong, and the rumors true." Yara pulled them both down and let a hand wander down Dany's side, ribs to hip. "I've taken great pleasure in exploring every inch of your skin," her fingers jumped across Dany's waist and up to her chest, "and found not a single scale to speak of." She returned her lips to Dany's skin, kissing across her clavicle and down her sternum. She slowly pushed the material of Dany's dress off her shoulders, causing the top to fall to her waist. Dany buried her fingers in Yara's hair. "And you're even more beautiful like this than the rumors could exaggerate." Yara guided her lips to Dany's side, kissing inch by inch down the side of her breast and ribcage. "Plus, you are the last of House Targaryen." She started kissing along the last rib to the center of her chest. "The dragon is your sigil. It only makes sense." Her kisses started to climb. "We of House Greyjoy have the kraken." She started to kiss a wide circle around Dany's breast, slowly spiraling inward until her lips were just brushing the underside. "Many have doubted the kraken until they could doubt no longer." Her tongue poked out between her lips and drew tight circles with each kiss. "Just as many doubt the dragon until it is too late and the dragon is upon them." She licked a big circle around Dany's breast, enjoying watching her nipple harden to a pebble, which she then teased with her tongue, flicking it and licking it as Dany squirmed and shivered. Yara then sucked as much of her breast into her mouth as she could. When it popped out, it shined with her saliva. She repeated her attention to the other breast before sitting up and taking Dany's mouth with hers.

"By the Salt God, I love your breasts." Yara smiled against Dany's lips and let her hands reach out to play with the aroused flesh. Dany arched her back, thrusting her breasts more forcefully into Yara's palms. She found her breath and forced her eyes open, reaching up to put her hands over Yara's. "Show me how you like it, Khaleesi," Yara smiled. But Dany stopped their movement.

"You were reminding me about our pact."

"That can wait," Yara said, a slight edge of annoyance to her voice.

"No, it cannot."

"Is that really all you can think about right now?" The tinge of nnoyance had given way to hurt.

Dany took one of Yara's hands and brought it to her dripping center. "Clearly not," she said. "Never doubt how much I want you." Yara pressed the heel of her hand harder against her opening, pleased at Dany's sharp intake of breath and involuntary buck. "I want you. And I want you this badly. Always. Do you know how many pairs of underwear have been effectively ruined in the few days I've known you?"

"You could always go without. In fact, I highly encourage you to." Yara advised, not entirely sure herself if she were joking or serious. She hooked a finger inside the panties and pulled them off Dany's hips to her knees.

"It's because I need you this badly that I need to know why you are hesitant to stay with me at King's Landing." Yara's eyebrows jumped. "If you're not there with me…" Yara pressed her thumb into Dany's wet opening.

"I'm sure you could find others to satisfy you."

"No," Dany was adamant as Yara removed her thumb and sucked it clean. "Fuck, Yara. I'm already soaking wet."

Yara sunk two fingers inside her. "I know. It's delicious. And it's coating the inside of her legs." Yara removed her fingers and brought them to Dany's mouth, "Taste." She ran her fingers over Dany's lips until they parted and took in the slick digits. "Good girl," she said, removing them.

"Gods," Dany cried out, as Yara descended on her thighs, licking them clean as she worked her way to Dany's throbbing entrance. "No one else can do this to me."

"I'm less than certain," Yara said, pressing a kiss to Dany's opening and then blowing cool air over it.

"I don't want anyone else to do this to me," Dany amended just as Yara's tongue flicked out to worry Dany's clit, causing her to lose any semblance of self-control. Yara had to hold Dany's hips now as they attempted of their own accord to push forward and meet Yara's mouth. Dany could no longer former coherent sentences, reduced to begging, "more," which Yara happily obliged, drawing out an extended organism that left her face covered in cum.

Dany was in a delirious state, panting and spent, as Yara sat up. Dany took Yara's wet face in her hands and pulled her into a sloppy kiss. "I think we should get you cleaned up."

Yara licked her lips and smiled. "You too," she said, helping the smaller girl to stand and remove the remnants of her garments.

Naked, Dany led Yara to a stall, which had been fixed to allow a constant flow of water. Yara was impressed by this feat of mechanical engineering and a little miffed that her people, with so close a connection to water, had not been the ones to design it. "You're cute when you're annoyed," Dany observed as she set up the shower. This comment caused Yara's face to contract further, which in turn caused Dany to chuckle. "Turnabout is fair play. I can tease you too, Yara."

Yara's face broke out into a grin, "I guess you can, my queen." She stood still as Dany, all concentration, removed each item of clothing from her one by one. Once they were both free of material, they stepped into the shower and Dany adjusted the flow of water.

Water poured over them and soon not an inch of their skin was dry. "I really want you to come to King's Landing with me," Dany urged, wrapping her arms around Yara from behind, pressing her cheek to Yara's shoulder. "I want you with me. I think I need you with me."

"What about the Salt Throne? That is what you promised me—that I could have the Iron Isles." She swiveled in Dany's hug.

"They're yours. Forever and always. You can still have them," Dany said, reaching up to brush Yara's hair out of her face and tuck it behind her ear.

"How am I to rule them from King's Landing? What about my people?"

Dany thought for a few moments as she drew patterns with the water droplets on Yara's abdomen. "Couldn't Theon—"

"Then Theon might as well be king if that's the case." Yara snapped before she could stop herself.

Dany jumped back a little, her feet slipping on the wet floor. Yara caught her and pinned her against the wall to stop her further descent. "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that."

"Yeah, you did," Dany said. Her voice was soft, not at all accusatory, as she realized the choices that lay ahead for both of them.

"I'm sorry," Yara repeated. Neither was sure what she was apologizing for this time.

"Do you want me?" Dany asked, her voice betrayed a rarely seen vulnerability.

"You seriously have to ask?" Yara said, pressing Dany a little harder into the wall, which no longer had anything to do with keeping her upright.

"I just wanted to make sure—"

Yara snuck a leg between Dany's and leaned into her. "I just spent the last half hour making love to you and plan to spend the next half hour doing the same."

"Making love?" Dany's thick eyebrows rose in question, her hands had returned to drawing designs on Yara's skin and were now skimming her breasts, tickling the sensitive flesh.

"I'm not just fucking you." Yara stated, rubbing her leg against Dany's center. "This has nothing to do with our political alliance. Do you know how thrilling it is for me when my touch or even sometimes just my words make you wet?" She leaned her body into Dany, their breasts meeting, their hips meeting, their eyes meeting. "Do you know how exciting it is to hear you say you don't want anyone else to do these things to you?"

Dany's mouth had gone dry even as the shower drenched the rest of her. Yara brought her face in even closer, nuzzling Dany's nose on either side. "Of course, I want you." She captured Dany's top lip, then the bottom one. "I love you." She pulled her face back just enough to read Dany's reaction.

Dany swallowed. Then again.

"You don't have to—"

Dany didn't let Yara finish, launching herself onto her. She wrapped her legs around Yara's waist and her arms around her neck. "I love you," she said. Yara buried her face in Dany's hair, and they remained in that embrace as water continued to pour over them.

"Make love to me." Dany nibbled on Yara's earlobe.

"Is that a demand?" Yara teased.

"I'm trying to do less of that," Dany laughed coyly, sliding down Yara's body until her feet were back on the ground.

"We'll see how long that lasts." Yara reached around and cupped Dany's butt, pulling their hips together. "But I don't mind if you demand love from me. I'm all too happy to oblige." She began gyrating her hips, rubbing her thigh against Dany's opening as Dany's did the same to her. Dany dropped a hand between them to play with Yara's clit and soon Yara returned the favor. It didn't take long for both women to reach the edge, their cum mixing with the shower water as it washed them clean. They continued to kiss long after the water was turned off, and after they'd settled into bed, hands continued to roam and discover new places to please.

They lay curled together, facing each other as Dany fondled Yara's breasts. "You like these, do you?" Yara asked, looking down at her breasts.

"Very much," Dany smiled, pressing a kiss into one.

"They're yours, along with the rest of me." Yara pressed a kiss to her forehead, which creased. "You are worried again." It was part question, part observation.

"I'm afraid for how this turns out."

"This—this war?"

"No. This—this," Dany scooted closer, until she was toe to shoulder with Yara. She laid her head on Yara's chest, threw a leg over hers, and wrapped an arm across her middle. Yara breathed in the scent of Dany's hair and rubbed soothing circles on her back. "I'm afraid you will have to choose between me and the throne."

"Is that so different from the choice you will have to make yourself?"

Dany sat up a little, resting her chin on her hand on Yara's chest. "I don't have to decide between you and the throne."

"Don't you, though?"

"How?"

"If you marry, do you expect me to love you in secret."

"No, but remember, I may not have to—"

"Or even if you never have to consider that, how is you asking me to stay in King's Landing where your throne is any different from me asking you to stay on the Iron Islands where my throne is?" Dany's mouth opened and closed but no words came out. Yara used a finger to tilt Dany's chin up further, then leaned forward and kissed her. "Let me preface this by saying, I believe in you. I know you'll get your throne. But right now neither of us has a throne, so this problem isn't actually a problem yet. Let's not try to solve a nonexistent problem, okay?"

Dany pushed herself forward and rubbed her nose against Yara's, "Okay." She returned her head to resting on Yara's chest and Yara kissed the top of it. "I love you," Dany murmured as sleep sneaked into her voice.

"I love you, too, my dragon," Yara responded, pulling her closer.

#


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Thank you for all the kind reviews, follows, and favs. I'd forgotten how much fun that part of sharing stories was and am now happily reminded. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

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Three nights later, they docked at White Harbor, mounted their horses, and pointed the animals northwest.

Daenerys rode at the front with Tyrion and Missandei, pushing a pace reflective of her patience. Even though the days had become drastically shorter as winter advanced, by the early afternoon sunset the horses were still lathered with sweat.

"Does she always ride this hard?" Theon asked his sister as he pulled off his horse's saddle and watched as steam rose from its drenched back.

"How should I know?" Yara responded peevishly from where she was crouched at her horse's legs, running her hands over them, checking for heat. She stood and patted the panting beast's shoulder, then caught Theon's eyes and did a double take. They were lighter than she'd seen them in a long time. "Was that a joke, little brother?" The playfulness, so long absent, brought a genuine smile to Yara's face.

"You were rarely ever in our quarters on the ship," he reflected. "In fact, I hardly saw you at all, which is remarkable really, given that it was a confined space. And it's not like the ship was particularly grand in size." He turned his attention to rubbing down his horse. "Even in this light I can see you're blushing," he added.

Yara bit her lip to try to keep from smiling too broadly and shot a quick glance around. "What makes you assume that when I wasn't with you, I was with her?" Her tone carried curiosity but no denial or defensiveness.

"A brother's intuition."

Yara snorted.

"Fine," Theon relented. "It was your flirting with her on the very first day you met her. You're not very subtle, sister." With the sun sunk well below the horizon, it was becoming too dark for Theon, even if he were looking, to see, but Yara's blush deepened considerably. "I didn't realize you intended to steal our uncle's plan in its entirety."

"I didn't!" Yara hissed, leaving her mount momentarily and stomping toward Theon.

Theon squared himself to her and held up his hands in mock surrender. "Maybe not before you saw her, but after… come, be honest… you practically proposed."

"She was the most striking woman I'd ever seen," Yara admitted, getting lost for a moment in the memory of that day. "Nothing on the Iron Isles even comes close," she lamented. "She's gorgeous, and her beauty made me bold."

"Sure, bold—or submissive—they're the same." Theon's mouth twisted into a lopsided smirk. Yara raised her eyebrows. "Putty in those gorgeous hands."

"It's true, they have reduced me to not much more than liquid," Yara grinned.

"Sister," Theon chided, turning back to his horse to finish rubbing it down. "I was thankful all she asked for besides our allegiance was a cessation of raiding. I feared you would have given her anything she'd wanted. But I guess that's what you're doing now."

Theon jumped a little as Yara wrapped an arm around his neck. "I've missed you, little brother." She pressed a kiss to the side of his head, released him, and set about taking care of her own horse.

Theon's tone turned serious, "We can't keep this pace."

"I know," Yara's eyes darkened. He was right. Her horse was soaked and she herself wasn't much better. But it wasn't just the pace that worried her. The grass had grown increasingly sparse throughout the day's journey, and here where they'd set up camp, most of the ground was covered in a light snow. It was only going to get worse.

They finished cooling their horses in silence, lost in the work and their thoughts. It wasn't until Theon cleared his throat that Yara's eyes left her mount and caught sight of Dany, who was strolling with Tyrion, a hundred yards away.

"She's been watching you," Theon stated.

"Oh?" Yara didn't bother to feign disinterest. Just at that moment Dany looked up and saw Yara staring. A few seconds later, Tyrion went his own way and Dany started her way toward them.

"I think I'd best be off," Theon announced. "These guys too," he added, grabbing the leads of both their mounts and steering them away just as Dany reached them.

"Theon," Dany greeted with a slight nod.

"Good evening, your highness." He nodded back, before disappearing into the night.

"Dany," Yara smiled.

Dany closed the distanced between them, wrapping her arms around Yara and kissing her. "I've been looking for you," she said, after breaking the kiss and nuzzling her face into Yara's neck.

"What for?"

Dany pulled back to look at her, scrunching her nose. "For you."

Yara pressed her mouth back to Dany's, her lips demanding a deeper kiss.

"I also need to talk to you," Dany said when they broke apart.

"About?"

"There's been a change of plans. I'm not taking the entire khalasar army to Winterfell. It's—"

"Good," Yara interrupted.

"Good?" Dany asked, taken slightly aback.

"It doesn't make sense to have the whole army travel north. It's unnecessary and near impossible given the terrain," she said, gesturing to the frost and fresh snowfall that had started coming down upon them.

"Were you ever going to tell me this?" Dany's voice had acquired a slight edge.

"Tell you what?"

"That this plan wasn't going to work?"

Yara's brows furrowed. "You have other advisors. And I haven't seen you all day, when was I supposed to tell you, Khaleesi?" Dany's eyes widened at the sound of her title, and she took a small step back. Immediately, Yara's brows lifted and her entire face softened as she closed the distance that Dany had created. "No."

"No?"

"We're not going to fight. It's been a long day. I'm tired. I don't want to assume, but I imagine you're tired as well."

"I am," Dany confessed, allowing herself to relax into Yara. "I don't want to argue with you."

Yara brushed Dany's hair over her shoulders. "I was going to find you tonight, just so you know." She examined a few of the silver strands that seemed to glow almost violet in the snowy moonlight.

"To recommend an alternate strategy?"

"Well, yes, that, but mostly just to find you," she answered, her eyes returning to Dany's.

"Good."

"Good?" Yara teased.

"I don't want to sleep without you. I'm not sure I can." She slid her hand to Yara's and intertwined their fingers. She led the taller girl back to her tent where they both sat down on cushions and accepted the drinks the handmaids offered them.

"So what is your new plan?" Yara asked after quenching the thirst that had refused to be satisfied all day.

"Most of the khalasar army will head south at a more relaxed pace," Dany explained, carefully studying Yara's face for even the smallest reaction, but it remained impassive. "Meanwhile, I'll take a small contingent and continue north to Winterfell to propose an alliance," Dany finished and searched Yara's eyes, which annoyingly weren't looking directly at her.

Yara seemed to be mulling over the idea as she took a drink. "Who is a part of this contingent?"

"Tyrion, Missandei, a few Dothraki leaders, and I'm hoping you and Theon. Grey Worm, in consult with the Dothraki leaders who stay behind, will be in command of the khalasar."

"And if our small party is not welcomed at Winterfell?"

"Drogon," Dany answered pointedly, still trying to gauge Yara's reaction. But the brunette simply took another drink and swallowed it. "Would you please look at me?" Dany scooted closer and reached out a tentative hand to Yara's face, putting a finger under her chin to lift it. Yara's hand shot out and wrapped around Dany's wrist. Her tight hold would undoubtedly leave a mark. She pressed a gentle kiss to Dany's palm before letting go. "Say something," Dany beseeched her.

"What do you expect to find in Winterfell?"

Yara's refusal to either approve or reject the plan was frustrating the Khaleesi to no end. "Winterfell is in a state of transition. The Starks hold it once again. Jon Snow has been declared King in the North and has a loyal following of several houses, including House Arryn. The Stark family is widely respected, and it is well known that the Starks have no love for the Lannisters, so I expect to find in them a dependable ally. The Stark reputation is unblemished despite my advisors' best attempts to expose any offenses."

"The Starks are good people. Dependable. You won't find a house with higher moral standards," Yara acknowledged. After a second, she added, "Theon was their ward for a time."

"I hope that will help when we make our case for an alliance."

"I'm not sure… a lot happened," Yara responded evasively, her face breaking its stoic facade for the first time during their conversation. Dany shot her an uncertain glance. "Perhaps a story for tomorrow's ride. The hour is too late for it." Dany didn't protest. She was having trouble sitting upright as it was. Yara had noticed and encouraged her to lie down, maneuvering the girl's heavy head to her lap. Yara stroked Dany's hair slowly, finding damp places where the snow had melted. "This plan is an improvement," she said, finally giving Dany the judgment she'd been withholding. "The Khalasar is much better off going south." Yara softly used the pads of her fingers to run over Dany's eyelids and close them." And I think if you show up at Winterfell without an army you will be better received." She dropped a swift kiss to her forehead. "Your proposal for an alliance will have less demanding overtones." she chuckled. "This way you appear to actually be asking. An army implies: join us or be destroyed by us."

"But?" Dany, eyes still closed, curled into Yara, who continued to brush her fingers through the sliver hair.

"You knew that was coming, did you?"

"You said the plan was an improvement. That inherently implies there is yet more room for improvement. Are you confident in its success?" Dany tried and failed to suppress a yawn.

"No one can predict the outcome." At the consternation that creased Dany's features, Yara quickly added, "Still, I think you have a good chance of pulling it off." She leaned down again to kiss the corners of Dany's mouth. "But I do worry about how much you've divided your army. You have a few ships headed to Dorne. You have the Second Sons on their way to Casterly Rock. Now you'll have the Unsullied and the khalasar heading south while you head north. It's a lot of moving pieces. Pieces that are moving separately."

"I did think about that. It's true they may be moving separately, but they are doing so in coordination. And I just couldn't see any other way." Dany's body was becoming heavier as exhaustion took a greater hold.

"Sometimes there isn't," Yara said, scooting out from underneath Dany's head, using her hands to lower it from her lap to the cushion. "There is no perfect plan." She stood. "You make the best one you can. Then you make it work." She scooped up Dany and carried her to the makeshift bed and deposited her. Before climbing in beside her, she set about removing what clothes she could to try to make her as comfortable as possible.

Dany awoke to an arm draped over her waist and the feel of a steady breath on the back of her neck. As she went to push herself into a sitting position, the arm reflexively wrapped tighter around her.

"Don't go."

"Did I wake you?"

"I wouldn't mind if you had," Yara answered.

"You should," Dany teased, spinning to face Yara, who was wearing a lazy smile.

"Between sleep and sex, I choose the latter." Yara's smile took on a slightly sinister shade as she yanked Dany down on top of her.

Dany squealed, "Is that what you're expecting?"

"Definitely hoping." Yara's hands slid up Dany's thighs, just barely brushing the soft skin as she went, pushing the sheer material of her nightgown up with it.

"Where did this come from by the way?" Dany asked, looking down at the fabric bunched at her hips and rubbing it between her fingers.

"You crashed hard and fast last night." Yara rubbed the top of Dany's legs before sliding her hands back down and hooking them behind her knees, pulling Dany up higher onto of her. "I know you like it hard and fast," Yara smirked, thrusting her hips upward and sending Dany sprawling onto all fours above her, "but really, Dany, I didn't know what to do with you." Dany's cheeks started to color. "I just grabbed the first thing I could find to put you in. I think I chose well," Yara said self-assuredly.

"It's transparent," Dany said, looking down at her breasts through the gown and realizing she might as well have been naked for all it hid.

"One of its best features," Yara agreed, following Dany's line of sight. "That and it's so free and flowing. Easy access to my favorite places," Yara grinned broadly, allowing her hands to wander up the back of Dany's legs underneath the dress's hem, to the round swell of her ass, which she grabbed and squeezed.

"If it is as spectacular as you say, maybe I should wear it to meet the Starks."

Yara gripped Dany's hips and pulled them down, so the smaller girl was almost sitting on her face. "I'd prefer to have exclusive access to this sight." Yara punctuated her point with her tongue. "I don't fancy a Stark tongue on your body. Yara licked rapidly at Dany's slick entrance. "Do you?"

Dany managed to groan something akin to un-uh while Yara continued to make magic with her mouth.

"You sure?" Yara smiled against Dany's opening, sucking her clit between her lips and humming.

"Gods, yes." Dany screamed, starting to gyrate her hips. Yara's fingers were digging into her thighs, the nails just breaking skin. She circled her tongue tightly around Dany's clit and then returned to nibbling and sucking at it. Dany came almost instantly, oblivious to the world, her hips collapsing onto Yara's face, her cum spilling heavily out of her. Yara lapped at the juices, licking the area around Dany's entrance clean.

She gently pushed the girl off to one side and climbed upward to her. They lay side-by-side in silence for a while as light slowly returned to the world. "We can find something else for you to wear tonight. Something a little less inviting than this," she chuckled, running her hands along Dany's length over the material. "But perhaps something less fearsome than the rags you've been riding in. What are those, by the way?"

"My Dothraki clothes? They're strong and beautiful," Dany said defensively.

"Strong they may be, but beauty is defined differently here in Westeros. The house lords will think you a barbarian."

"Maybe I am."

"You're a Targaryen."

"I'm also a Khaleesi of the Dothraki."

"You want to be more than Khaleesi. You want to be Queen. I don't care personally what you wear. It's all the same to me. At the end of the day, it comes off," she leaned herself into Dany and pressed a kiss over her heart. "Though I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought about you clothed in the dress of the Iron Isles," she teased. "Still, if you want to make an impression of the Houses of Westeros, you'll need to dress like you belong."

Dany knew Yara was right and was no stranger to changing dress to suit her audience. "Alright," Dany acquiesced, already imagining herself at the gates of Winterfell. She was eager to proceed with the next stage of her plan: persuading the Starks to support her bid for the crown.

"Feel better?"

Dany purred, "Much."

"A good night's sleep and good morning sex will do that."

"Tyrion?" Dany shot up, covering herself as best she could before realizing the material hid nothing it covered anyway.

"As will a tall glass of ale," he added as an afterthought. "Sorry, my queen, your handmaids refused to interrupt your…slumber… but the sun has risen and its time to move if we are to reach Winterfell by nightfall."

Yara had managed to slip out of bed and dress, albeit sloppily, so Dany was left feeling awkwardly singled-out.

"Yes, right. Have my horse prepared and the party gathered."

"It's done."

"Tyrion," Dany ground out his name.

"Like I said, your handmaids would not enter your chambers and refused to grant me access. It took him," Tyrion nodded over his shoulder at Theon who stood like a shadow in the entryway, "forcing a way in, for me to even get to you now."

Dany looked at Theon, who was looking anywhere but at her, and rolled her eyes. She chanced a glance at Yara who, much like her brother, had suddenly found the décor fascinating. "We ride in 10. Leave me." Tyrion bowed contritely and promptly retreated from the bedside with Theon following closely at his heels. "Where are my handmaids?" Dany's voice dropped to a murderous whisper.

"Don't be angry at them."

"But I am," Dany declared, getting out of bed and dressing.

"No, you don't understood. I'm to blame. Last night I expressly forbade them from entering."

"What? Why?"

"You needed rest." Yara's eyes dodged Dany's. "And I needed you."

"This is bigger than us." Dany sighed, adjusting her boots. "There will be times we don't get what we need in order for everyone else to get what they need." Fully clothed, she went to Yara, put one hand behind her head and pulled her into a forceful kiss. "I don't want you to think I don't recognize and appreciate your romantic gesture. I do. But I can't come first anymore."

"I will always put you first." Yara's whisper was almost inaudible.

"I don't want you to."

"You don't get to make that choice though. I do."

Dany locked her lips with Yara's. "I love you for that. But you're going to get hurt that way." Dany sighed again. "It's past time."

"No lecture for giving your handmaids orders?"

"No, I want them to serve you too. You can give them orders. I just never considered that one day you might give them orders contradictory to my own."

"One day," Yara repeated to herself, wondering how far off one day was for them.

They made up for their late start with swift feet. When noontime rolled around, they were more than halfway to Winterfell. The snow had grown deeper, and the temperature had dropped, so they agreed to keep their respite short.

"Sorry about this morning," Theon said to Yara as he dismounted.

Yara waved it off. "It's fine, little brother. You've done worse."

"I don't know that I've ever seen you ever blush as much as I have in the past twenty four hours." He teased.

"It wasn't my situation that embarrassed me this morning."

"Did she punish you?"

Yara shook her head. "There wasn't time." A smirk spread across her face. "Maybe tonight if I'm lucky."

"Seven hells, sister. You're more lewd than I ever was." Yara laughed loudly.

Across the way, Dany sat lunching with Tyrion. "I'm not sure which of them was more embarrassed this morning," Tyrion wondered aloud as he watched Yara and Theon talking.

"Why didn't you just send Missandei?" Dany asked, still carrying some grievance with her Hand for his morning intrusion.

"She was saying her goodbyes to Grey Worm. I didn't want to cut their time together short."

Dany couldn't fault him for that. She looked over to where Missandei was getting her hands washed and wrapped. It had pained her to separate them, but her army needed Grey Worm, and she needed Missandei.

Yara and Theon joined their lunch, and the four sat in a somewhat awkward silence, chewing their dried meat.

"Just like home," Tyrion toasted to the table. He seemed to be the only one at ease in the tension. "You all ought to know a raven arrived this morning from Varys. Apparently, Littlefinger is at Winterfell."

Yara's mouth puckered as though she'd tasted something sour.

"You've mentioned him before, this Littlefinger," Dany said contemplatively. "You characterized him as…"

"Sniveling, cheating, amoral, manipulative, self-interested—" Theon interjected before being cut off.

"Untrustworthy was actually the word I used. But I don't have the poetic flourish our Theon has," Tyrion smiled. "Yes, best to keep a close watch on him. He has designs on Sansa," Theon's face darkened considerably at this, "and on the Iron Throne." Dany didn't look pleased at that. "He will likely be a complication in your efforts to secure an alliance with the Starks."

"Any advice?"

"Unfortunately, he can't be outmaneuvered. But he has no real power of his own right now, which may save us. For how long, I'm not certain. He knows secrets buried and lost in time, and one of them may be worth something someday soon."

"Like my dragons?"

"Actually, not too different, yes."

#


	6. Chapter 6

Dany remained mounted outside the doors of Winterfell while word was relayed to the King in the North that a Targaryen had come calling. It had taken quite a bit of convincing just to get the messenger to agree to seek John Snow at this late hour. Dany's desperation had inclined her to resort to force, but at the last minute, Theon announced to the guards that Sansa would want to see him. He wasn't wrong.

When Sansa arrived at the entryway and saw that it was indeed Theon waiting outside, she immediately had word sent to her brother. Only his command could open the doors, and when it did, Sansa's greeting was less restrained than Jon expected from someone of her maturity. Theon, meanwhile, looked embarrassed by the whole affair.

"I am Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, Queen of Meereen, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, and Mother of Dragons, among other titles, and I request an audience with you, Jon Snow, King in the North." Dany announced, catching his eyes over the head of his sister, who was holding tightly to Theon.

"It is granted." Jon nodded firmly. "But it must wait until the morning."

Dany looked uncertain and chanced a glance at Tyrion, who shrugged as if to say, "It is what it is."

"You—and your party," Jon gestured at the rest of them, "will of course be put up."

Swallowing her impatience, Dany smiled and acquiesced, "That will be fine, thank you."

After servants took their horses, Jon led them to the castle where they were then shown to rooms. Dany and Yara both watched with mild curiosity as Sansa hovered at Theon's elbow. Some of his twitchy tendencies reemerged, but Sansa did not seem to think his behavior odd and beamed at him as she caught him up on the events that had unfolded since their separation.

As they parted, going their own ways to their individual rooms, Yara hung back in hesitation.

"Coming?" Dany asked as a guard opened the door for her. Yara smiled, and walked briskly to her. "You didn't think I'd let you sleep in your own room, did you?"

"I wasn't sure," Yara admitted, as the door was pulled shut behind them. "We are in Westeros now. The great game has begun. My place in your bed rests on ice."

A rough sound escaped Dany's throat. "Your place in my bed is on more solid ground than you think," she divulged, tilting her head and taking both of Yara's hands in hers, linking their fingers. "Each night you spend in it secures your continued presence more than you know."

The singular joy that only hope can create softened the sharp edges of Yara's face, her smile, relaxed and full, reached her eyes. Dany stood mesmerized by the subtle changes transforming the energy of the woman before her. When she made no effort to move, Yara, nodding toward the bed, asked, "Shall we? Morning is nearing, and you need rest before it arrives."

Dany shook her head. "No, I don't need rest. I need you." Fingers still intertwined, she walked Yara backward away from the bed and into a plush chair. The seat hit the back of Yara's knees, folding them and causing her to fall into it. Dany fell gracefully into her lap and wasted no time in kissing Yara's face, neck, any exposed skin her lips could find. Her kisses were slow but insistent.

"Dany, you don't have to…"

Yara felt the vibrations of a low growl rumbling from Dany's chest. "Of course, I don't have to… want to…" She continued covering Yara's face with unhurried kisses.

"I'd be more than happy to distract you from tomorrow's politics." Yara couldn't suppress a reflexive squeak when Dany's lips tickled her neck.

Dany sat back a moment and ran her index finger down Yara's nose and across her cheekbones, following her jawline to her chin, which she then lifted between her thumb and forefinger, admiring the features of the Ironborn. "I would love a distraction. But you're not a distraction. You're my single-minded focus—now and more often than I care to admit." Dany's fingers had dropped to Yara's neck and she felt Yara's throat contract as her breath caught in it. Dany then brought her face as close as she could to Yara's without actually touching it. "You doubt how important you are to me."

"I don't know how important I am." Yara stated matter-of-factly.

"Let me show you." Still perched in Yara's lap, she began to unbuckle the Ironborn's leathers.

"From the beginning, the permanence of this was not guaranteed," Yara continued, watching Dany's small fingers strip away her clothes, layer by layer.

"At the beginning this wasn't supposed to be permanent," Dany admitted. "It wasn't supposed to _be_ at all." Yara's upper body was completely bare, and Dany started tracing her fingers lightly over the newly uncovered flesh, raising goose bumps on Yara's arms.

"You warned me about your desire to make alliances through marriage." Dany's scrutiny of her body was making her self-conscious, something she hadn't felt in a while. She'd been completely naked with Dany several times, she'd done unspeakable things to Dany's bare body and Dany had returned the favor, so her current embarrassment was disconcerting.

Dany ran her fingers across Yara's clavicle, down her sternum. She used the pads of her fingers to draw tiny circles over the surface of her breasts, and then cupped them softly. "But I also said that marriage would be a last resort."

"And here we are, with Jon Snow, the very eligible King in the North."

"Are you worried?" Dany's hands surfed across Yara's taut abdomen, down to her waist where they traced the line of her hipbones to the hem of her pants, which they started to unbutton.

"Of course," Yara exhaled heavily, admitting this truth for the first time even to herself. Dany stood temporarily, and Yara lifted her hips so Dany could pull her pants off.

"You don't need to be." As Dany slid back into Yara's lap, one hand slid up her thigh to cup her mound and then rub it tenderly and excruciatingly slowly.

"He's handsome."

Dany leaned her forehead against Yara's temple and murmured in her ear, "I didn't notice." She increased the pressure of the heel of her hand against Yara's heated entrance. "But you think so?" she smiled as she kissed the side of Yara's cheek.

"Not my type," Yara deadpanned.

"What's your type then?" Dany asked breathily, moving to suck on Yara's earlobe.

"My type is—" Yara cried out as Dany sunk two fingers into her folds.

"Oh?" Dany asked enjoying the effect she was having on the brunette. She started to pump her fingers slowly, pausing each time she'd pushed them all the way in and pulled them all the way out.

"Dany," Yara half-warned, half-begged.

"That's not a type," Dany teased, stopping her movement altogether.

Yara reached her own hand out to grasp Dany's and pull it back to her throbbing center. "Yes, it is." She whimpered as Dany plunged her fingers back in, a little more roughly. "My type—" She could only get a few words out at time, in between the thrusts of Dany's active fingers, "great ass—"

"Could be Jon Snow, that."

"Thought you didn't notice," Yara said, then screamed in pleasure as Dany curled her fingers inside her. "Female," she said pointedly, "fantastic tits—blond—small." Yara's cum was starting to drench Dany's fingers, which were moving rapidly now. "—badass—fucking bossy—sound like anyone you know?" Dany's dripping fingers went to worry her clit and Yara was shouting her name seconds later.

Dany kissed those crying lips hard as she came, demanding something from them that Yara wanted so badly to give. "Sounds vaguely familiar," Dany whispered against Yara's skin as she pressed another kiss to her temple. "Maybe someone from a dream," she speculated, inhaling the scent of Yara's hair.

"A dream indeed," Yara affirmed, slowly came down from her high.

Dany ran her hands up and down her sides, rubbing her encouragingly. "For being Ironborn, you melt rather easily," Dany chuckled at the languid droop of Yara's limbs.

"Not true," Yara dismissed sleepily. "You just happen to have the heat of the dragon."

Dany helped Yara into bed before changing herself into nightclothes. Several times throughout the night, Yara was roused from slumber, and in those brief moments, her mind registered Dany's absence just before it slipped back into unconsciousness. In the morning she rose to find Dany sitting on the edge of the bed.

"How long have you been awake?"

"I didn't sleep," Dany revealed without emotion.

"Why didn't you wake me?" The sheets had fallen to her hips and Yara realized she was still naked.

"What good would it have done? Depriving you of sleep wouldn't somehow provide me with rest."

Yara crawled across the bedspread to Dany and pulled her into an embrace from behind. "Maybe I could have helped you relax."

"You did. But nothing was going to help me sleep last night," Dany concluded knowingly. Yara released her hugging grip and reached her hands up to fiddle with Dany's hair.

"Are you scared?"

"Terrified."

Yara piled Dany's hair atop her head and dropped kisses on the back of her exposed neck. "You needn't fear Jon Snow. He is just a man, and like most men you could have him down on one knee by the end of your first conversation."

Dany choked out a laugh, allowing her head to fall back against Yara's shoulder. "Only once did someone propose to me on the first meeting." She turned her face into Yara's neck. "And that was you."

"I don't believe that," Yara said, pulling back to giver herself space to plant a kiss on Dany's lips.

"I'm not counting offers of marriage made for purely political motivations."

"And who says mine was anything more that political machinations?" Dany feigned offense, and Yara laughed, "It was more. So much more." She peppered Dany's face with kisses.

Dany sighed.

"It's time, is it?" Yara asked.

"It is."

"Can I offer you some advice?"

"Always."

"Don't hold back."

Dany's eyebrows shot up, but she nodded slowly.

The small party was summoned over breakfast. They sat at a round table, with Dany and Jon directly across from each other at 12 and 6.

"You requested an audience with me," Jon started. "You have it."

"What do you know about me?" Dany asked.

"Not much," Jon admitted. "I have most recently been preoccupied with retaking Winterfell, and before that, with the Night's Watch."

Dany knew this already, but she had been keeping a close watch on the happenings of Westeros. She imagined what happened in Essos was of less interest to the men of Westeros, so she started from the beginning and laid it all out.

"And with that, I need a drink," Tyrion announced, only half in jest, as Dany concluded her story.

"Aye," Jon agreed, taking a long drink himself. "And so you have come here to Winterfell seeking what exactly?"

"An alliance," Dany said, also drinking deeply.

"What would this alliance entail?"

"That depends on how much you're willing to do to take the Iron Throne."

"I have no interest in the throne," Jon said, waving his hand dismissively.

"That's all for the good, because I am and don't really want to fight you for it. But surly you'd like to see the Lannisters pay for what they've done."

Jon looked at Sansa beside him before returning Dany's stare. Finally, his eyes had acquired an intensity equaling hers. "Yes. I don't care for the politics of King's Landing, but I do desire justice. For my father, my sisters, my brothers," Jon had to choke back a sob as he thought of all the spilled blood, so much innocent blood. They shouldn't have left Winterfell. None of them. And none of them would have if it hadn't been for the King Robert, and really the manipulative Lannisters behind him."

Dany's memory flickered at the mention of his family. "Once before there was almost an alliance between our houses."

"This is news to me." Jon had been a good student of history in his youth and couldn't recall a Stark-Targaryen alliance from his lessons.

"It would be. Few knew, and it never came to be. My brother loved your aunt, Lyanna, and—"

"He abducted her," Sansa interrupted.

Dany looked taken aback. "Abducted?"

"Yes, she was meant to marry King Robert."

Dany shook her head. "Yes, she was betrothed to him. It was a political arrangement. She fell in love with Rhaegar, ran away with him. He didn't kidnap her."

Sansa's features registered shock, and she was about to argue but stopped herself. So much of what she used to believe turned out to be lies. Now, as she began to think back to all the stories about her aunt, she recognized gaps that couldn't be explained with the narrative on which she'd been raised. What this Dragon Queen was saying could very well be true.

"Why didn't we know this?" Jon asked.

"For your protection," Littlefinger inserted.

All eyes turned to Petyr, who'd been silent up until this moment and was now drumming his fingers on the table. "What do you mean?" Jon narrowed his eyes.

"King Robert made it his mission to exterminate all Targaryens," Littlefinger inclined his head toward Dany. "Your presence here today indicates he clearly failed, but it wasn't for lack of trying. When you were pregnant, he redoubled his efforts to have you and your unborn child murdered."

Dany's hand instinctively went to her middle. "Jorah," she whispered, answering her own question before it was even fully formulated in her head.

"So you did learn of his dealings, did you? I wondered how long it would take you to discover his double-dealing." Littlefinger smirked, "But I should have been worried about him not you. He fell in love with you, which I'm guessing you know."

Dany blushed, "I do."

"Yes, well, he was openly smitten. It was almost embarrassing actually. Anyway, it might interest you both to know Ned refused to endorse Rob's orders to have this," he nodded toward Dany, "Targaryen princess killed. Resigned as hand on the spot actually."

"Why?" Jon asked.

Littlefinger's smarmy grin widened. "So you recognize Eddard was more complicated than many realize. He was moral, yes, but this was about more than just right and wrong. Ned had a soft-spot for Targaryen children, you see, even while his good friend Robert wanted them all eliminated. In fact, he went to great lengths to protect Targaryen offspring. If Robert had known that the Lyanna had shared a bed with a Targaryen… that she had born her," he pointed at Dany, "brother a child…"

"A child?" Both Dany and Jon repeated in unison.

"Yes. That child would never have been safe if his parentage had been known. So the official party line was that Lyanna was kidnapped. That Ned had a bastard."

Littlefinger sat back deeply in his chair, a self-satisfied smirk spread across his face.

"How long have you known?"

"It was once my job to know things."

"And why didn't you tell me?"

"Like I said, it was a matter of your safety. And a matter of oaths."

"And now?"

"And now you need to know. You're not a Stark, at least not through Ned. You're a Targaryen. More specifically, you're her nephew."

"All the more reason we should be united," Tyrion toasted into the astounded silence that had settled over the table. Even he could not break the tension and dropped his head in remorse at what people had done to one another under the banners of Houses.

"I need a—a moment," Jon said, pushing himself back from the table and striding from the room without a backward glance.

Sansa looked like she too could benefit from a recess. "It's a lot to take in," she gulped. "Pardon my—brother. And excuse me as well." She rose. "We'll reconvene for dinner. By then maybe…" She trailed off, apparently not intending to finish her thought, as she walked out.

An awkward silence thickened the air around the table. Eyes avoided other pairs, and the food became unappetizing.

The only one who seemed happy about the whole affair was the first to speak. "Since it appears we are suddenly engagement free until this evening, I think we should take full advantage and enjoy what little this town has to offer."

Tyrion may not have trusted Littlefinger, but he liked how the man thought and was eager for a chance to return to familiar stomping grounds, if only to escape what felt increasingly like a tomb. "Yes, I think that is just what we need."

That afternoon, after making the arrangements, Littlefinger led the way. Theon, anticipating their destination and looking for a reason to extricate himself anyway, excused himself from the party, while the rest followed Littlefinger down the road to the local brothel. Littlefinger chatted with Daenerys along the way, showing a keen interest in the mother of dragons, which put Yara on alert almost immediately. Nothing that man did was subtle or lacked ulterior motive.

They entered the brothel and Littlefinger disappeared to make the requisite rounds while Tyrion disappeared in search of company.

Dany looked uncomfortable. A woman brushed up behind her, and she stiffened like a board.

Yara laughed. "Haven't you ever been to a whorehouse before?"

Dany wrinkled her nose. "Of course not. Have you?"

Yara smiled wryly, one side of her mouth curling up in amusement. "Of course." Dany's eyes flashed with what Yara was pretty sure was jealousy. "It was hard to find women on the Iron Islands. But prostitutes aren't particular. If you can pay, they'll do whatever—or whomever." Yara laughed heartily as she caught sight of a love-drunk Tyrion looking overjoyed at being sandwiched between two large-breasted women.

"You've slept with a whore?" Dany's voice and eyes communicated disbelief and a hint of something else.

"No, I've fucked a whore, had a whore fuck me," Yara corrected. "Many actually."

"Many?" Dany breathed the word like smoke, looking stricken. Yara, again detecting jealousy, became intensely interested in the violence of Dany's reactions.

Dany had stepped away, trying to take it all in, to wrap her mind around the scene before her of scantily clad women circulating among the patrons. Suddenly, one of these women was next to her, sidling up to her.

"Aren't you pretty, m'lady," the woman pressed her perky breasts into Dany's. "Fancy a fuck? I know how to take care of—" as a hand slid toward Dany's crotch, Yara shoved the woman away from her.

"She's already taken care of."

"Ohoho," the woman laughed, drunkenly stumbling away.

Yara remained glued to Dany's side. "No one touches what's mine," she growled into Dany's ear, before grabbing her hand and dragging the smaller girl up the stairs into a private room.

"Do you like that?" Dany asked skeptically as Yara threw herself onto the bed. "Naked women throwing themselves at you. Doing whatever you demand of them."

"I'm familiar with it, comfortable with it." Yara answered, propping herself up on her elbows. She narrowed her eyes, trying to figure out what Dany was really asking, while the silver-haired queen reached up to unhook the clasp of her own dress's halter top and let the gown drop unceremoniously to the floor, where it pooled at her ankles. She stepped out of it and climbed onto the bed clad in only a few gold chains around her neck and wrists.

"Show me," Dany commanded as she straddled Yara's prone form.

Yara's eyes widened then immediately darkened. She sat up and pulled Dany further into her lap. "Alright. Persuade me you deserve to get paid."

Dany blinked, taking a final second to steel herself, then scooted higher up, leaning her weight into Yara's body. She placed her hands on Yara's shoulders and started dragging wet kisses down the side of her face seductively. She arched her back, her breasts jiggling right in front of Yara's face.

"My weakness," Yara released a shaky breath she'd been holding, unable to keep herself from pulling Dany closer so that her face was pressed against those tempting tits. She lowered her lips to one of Dany's breasts, kissing it roughly, enjoying the give of the soft flesh. Dany squeeked at the unexpected coolness of Yara's tongue, then wrapped her arms around Yara's head, securing it to her chest.

Yara reached up blindly and grabbed hold of her necklace, using it to pull Dany's lips down to her own. Dany pawed at Yara's breasts through her shirt while Yara ran a hand immediately to Dany's wet center. "You'd command a high price."

Yara stood, sliding out from under Dany. "Get up." Dany's eyebrows revealed her confusion, but she didn't question the order, she just did what she was told. "Bend over." Dany turned around and bent forward, pressing her hands into the mattress. Yara stepped up behind her and grabbed her folded hips. "So obedient," Yara whispered in her ear, leaning her own body over Dany's bent one before standing up and rubbing her ass. Then she pulled her hand back and slapped it, smiling at the high-pitched squeal the smaller girl emitted. "Have you lain with men?"

"Yes." Yara spanked her again, and again Dany yelled out.

"How many cocks have been here?" Yara asked, sliding a hand in between Dany's spread legs to rub the glistening flesh.

"Two," Dany answered, to which Yara replied with two more strikes. The sting was turning the swell of Dany's ass pink.

"How many times did those cocks penetrate you?"

"I don't know," Dany admitted honestly.

Yara spanked her especially hard. "Try again."

"A lot. Drogo fucked me everyday and most days more than once. And I had my way with Daario too many times to count."

Yara spanked her hard again, this time between her legs. She could hear a splash of wetness in the sound of the smack.

"Did their cocks fill you completely?"

Dany shook her head, biting her lip as Yara slid a single finger quickly in then out. "Your pussy is still tight." She wrapped an arm around Dany's hips and pulled her up and spun her around. "On your knees." Dany sank to her knees in front of Yara. "Eat me," Yara ordered, removing her belt and dropping her pants. Dany, hooked her fingers under Yara's panties, tore them from her body, pressed her face in between Yara's legs and started nuzzling Yara's slit with her nose. She nibbled at the edge of the pink folds before poking her tongue out to taste the slick walls. She used her tongue to make long, slow passes up and down her slit, starting at the edge and working her way inside. She circled her tongue in the opening and felt Yara's knees weakend. They startd to buckle before Dany even had the chance to suck her clit, but Yara had other plans and stopped her.

Yara bent down on wobbly legs, grabbed Dany under the arms, picked her up and threw her onto the bed, predatorily jumping in after her. On her way up between the girl's wide spread legs, she reached down for something inside the bag that sat with her discarded clothes.

It was the biggest dick Dany had ever seen. Yara's wicked smile said she knew. "I don't think it'll fit," Dany stuttered.

"When anyone ever asks who gave you the biggest cock, I want your answer to be me." Yara held the soft dildo at Dany's opening, dipping the head in and rubbing it along her slit.

"Yara," Dany breathed in warning. Yara slid it in a bit more, and Dany whimpered.

Yara smiled mischievously. "Take my big cock." Yara pushed it in an inch at a time, until the balls were all that was left. "Good girl," Yara whispered peppering her face with kisses. She pulled it out and pushed it back in. Dany bucked involuntarily. "You like it, don't you?" Yara pulled it out and slammed it in, picking up the pace. She watched in pleasure as Dany's breasts rolled with each thrust. Yara reached down to her center and got the tips of her fingers wet, then rubbed the wetness on Dany's nipples. Dany grabbed at the bed sheets, holding so tightly that her knuckles turned white. "More?" Yara whispered, and Dany nodded. Yara smiled moving the huge dildo in and out of Dany so deeply that the rubbery balls slapped her. Dany came so hard her eyes rolled back and her body convulsed in spasms as a rush of cum coated the dildo and the hand holding it.

Yara crawled up beside Dany's spent body, and threw one leg over hers. "You are a fantastic fuck," she said, using the dildo to trace a line up Dany's bare stomach to her rising and falling chest. She circled her tits, "These alone would be worth whatever charge," then continued the trajectory to Dany's mouth. She ran the dildo along her lower lip, until her lips part and she could slide it into her mouth. "Suck," she commanded, and Dany tasted her own cum while Yara, unable to stop herself, reached out and squeezed one of her breasts.

"Even with all my spies, this I didn't expect," Littlefinger announced, stepping into the room. Yara grabbed a blanket, tugging it up over Dany's body. "Oh, by all means, don't stop. This has been the best show I've seen in a while. Unfortunately, many of my girls are such poor actors… but you two, I truly believe."

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	7. Chapter 7

A/N: So plot has found it's way into my smut lol… hence the increased output, trying to get it on paper while it's still clear in my head—no telling how long that'll last.

Anyway, if you are obsessing about this pair (which, let's be honest, is safe to assume if you're reading this), DeviantArt has a few pics that are worth checking out, just wish there were more (*hint* *hint* artists out there)! If you haven't already (I feel like I'm late to this game), check out tumblr… OMG…which is to be expected, I suppose. The tags/ship names have been interesting: danyara, irondragon, and—my personal fav—stormjoy. The gotirondragon tumblr is full of treasures, as is the daenerystargjoy and a handful of others. So much delicious goodness: the playful captioning and memes will put a stupid smile (you know the one, when you're smiling at your screen and people wonder wtf is wrong with you) on your face—it's the one I'm currently wearing.

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Yara glared at Littlefinger who had moved to stand over her and Dany in bed. Yara made no effort to cover her exposed lower half but did fold her legs beneath her to sit up taller, situating herself like a shield between Littlefinger and Dany.

Behind her, Dany clung to the blanket, holding it tight to her chin. She wasn't embarrassed by her nakedness; she had become desensitized to nudity, her own included. But now her body was more than just her body. It was the physical manifestation of her intimacy with Yara, which was too sacred to share with anyone else. It was hers. And it was Yara's. And it belonged them alone and no others. Yet here was Littlefinger trying to take what was rightly theirs.

"You can put your pants on."

"I'd rather not move."

Littlefinger shrugged, "You're choice." He took a step to sit on the edge of the bed, but Yara's forearm shot out.

"I'd also rather you not move."

"I'll be honest, Greyjoy—"

"A first."

Littlefinger's crooked smile deepened,"—I don't much care what you want. It's her desires that interest me." At the set of Yara's jaw, Littlefinger added, "Not like _that_. Based on what I witnessed, no one else has a chance of getting between those pretty little legs." He reached out to grip Dany's thigh, but snatched back his hand when Yara struck it. "Anyway, she wants you there. Permanently, it seems." Dany's eyes hardened like ice, and her stare became stone cold. "Don't deny it, Stormborn. I once loved someone like that and recognize all the trappings."

"What do you want, Littlefinger?" Yara snarled.

"Isn't it obvious? I want the Iron Throne."

Dany guffawed, "You have no claim to the throne."

"And yet I want it just the same."

"I intend to take it for myself."

"What if we did so together?"

"Why? I don't need you."

"Are you sure?"

"I am tired of your games. What do you have to offer, Littlefinger?"

"I control the Vale of Arryn."

"The Vale is not yours."

"It's as good as mine."

"Even so, I can take King's Landing with or without the knights of the Vale."

"Perhaps. But it would be messier. The fighting and the aftermath. You don't want to have to piece the Seven Kingdoms back together. Better to have them united in support of your claim from the start. "

Dany locked her jaw, "True. But that's still not enough."

Littlefinger nodded conspiratorially. "House Stark is on a precipice. Jon Snow is King in the North but he is not a Stark and has no claim to the title. Sansa on the other hand has a legitimate claim to Winterfell."

"Your point?"

"I've given you Jon's allegiance. He is—"

"The blood of my blood," Dany whispered.

"How quaint. Is that Dothraki?" Littlefinger leered.

"Don't patronize me," Dany snapped.

"Habit," Littlefinger shrugged. "I intended to seduce you. But when I stumbled upon this little scene, I realized I had no chance of succeeding in that endeavor. A marriage of convenience, of political alliance—"

"No." Yara growled.

"No?" Littlefinger repeated, barely stifling a smug laugh.

"No," she repeated. "I won't allow it."

"I wasn't asking you, Greyjoy," Littlefinger sneered. "And I doubt that you give orders to your queen." Yara's eyes narrowed. "Do you?" After an extended silence, Littlefinger said, "That's what I thought."

Yara's eyes widened in alarm and she turned to search Dany's, but the blonde was avoiding eye contact with her.

"I've given you Jon Snow, but his allegiance may be worth little when the North learns he is no Stark. I don't know how long he'll remain King in the North after that. So you need Sansa."

"I came here to make an alliance with the Starks. I don't need your help to convince Sansa to support my claim."

"Besides Theon seems to have that covered," Yara interjected, searching for any foothold she could find on Littlefinger's slipperly slope.

His forehead creased as his mouth turned downward. "Unless Sansa decides to make a claim of her own."

"She hasn't indicated the slightest interest—"Yara started, but Littlefinger cut her off.

"She hasn't had a reason to with Jon carrying the Stark banner. But he's not a Stark, not really her brother even. Winterfell is hers by right, and now she has reason to take it. Why not take all of Westeros?"

"Sansa Stark, Queen of Westeros?" Yara barked a laugh. "Impossible, the child has no understanding of the politics of the Seven Kingdoms. She's not prepared to rule."

"A lot has happened, Lady Greyjoy. Sansa is no longer a child, and though she didn't choose to be, she is a player in the great game now and understands it maybe even better than I do."

Annoyance etched itself into Dany's features. "So Sansa stakes a claim. What of it? I came here to make allies. If I have stumbled across an enemy, that's an unfortunate but not insurmountable turn of events. If House Stark stands in my way, it can fall with the others."

"Don't underestimate House Stark."

"The North remembers," Yara said solemnly.

Littlefinger's lips curled. "Yes, they do. Should Sansa make a claim, I would have to make a choice: whom would I direct the Vale to support? If I were married, then the choice would be a foregone conclusion."

"You can't marry him because of what might happen," Yara turned to Dany, panic propelling her forward.

"Your marriage to me would be a marriage in name only. We'd share the throne room and appear in public together, but you could continue to fuck Greyjoy all you wanted. In fact, I'd be happy to share my bed with the both of you," he said, eyeing Yara's bare legs.

Yara's lips curled in disgust. "What even makes you think Sansa will treat Jon any differently. He's been a Snow, not a Stark, until now anyway. His identity as a Targaryen doesn't change anything," she spat.

Dany pursed her lips and turned to Littlefinger, shaking her head dismissively. "You haven't offered enough to convince me that I need to share the throne with you in order to take it."

Frustration tightened Littlefinger's face; he had miscalculated that part of his hand badly. So, he threw down his only remaining card—his ace. "And what about this?" He gestured between them.

"What of it?" Yara asked scornfully.

"How do you think Westeros will respond to two queens?"

"I imagine better than how they respond to the one they have now," Yara joked, but her laugh was cut short when a burning hand pressed into her shoulder. Dany was seething, even through her leathers Yara could feel the smoldering heat of her skin.

"Are you actually threatening me?" Dany asked sharply. The ice in her eyes had melted, and a blaze was burning black in its place. Littlefinger was stunned into silence. "Tell Westeros, if you wish, that the Dragon Queen likes the taste of iron and salt," she said, pressing her chest to Yara's back so she could lick a slow path up Yara's neck, watching Littlefinger the entire time. "This queen doesn't need a king. I don't want one. And I don't intend to share."

Littlefinger narrowed his eyes, "When you realize your mistake, it may be too late." And with that ominous warning, he was gone.

Yara released a long breath, twisting her shoulders and craning her neck to look at Dany. As soon as Yara's face had turned, Dany's lips were pressed to hers.

"I don't want another man. Not ever. Not even in name only. You fucking ruined me, Greyjoy."

"Glad to hear it, Stormborn. I don't want to share either."

"We need to get back to the castle. We need to sort this all out with Jon and Sansa. One way or another, we need to know where we stand."

Yara propelled herself off the bed and began rummaging around for her pants. When she didn't hear Dany doing the same, she turned to find the Khaleesi checking her out.

"What are you doing?"

"Admiring your ass." Dany was at Yara's side in a flash, a hand groping one side of her bare ass.

"If you start that, we'll be delayed."

"So?" Dany asked, sliding her hand down in between Yara's legs. "I don't think 10 minutes will change anything."

"I disagree, it can change everything." Her breath hitched as Dany's fingers began to explore her folds, tenderly stroking the softness. "Damn it, Dany, now I need to fuck you."

"I couldn't tell," Dany said, removing her hand and wiping the wetness off on Yara's leg.

"Not here. Let's go somewhere that's actually private."

Dany stepped in close enough to press herself against Yara's thigh, "Take me wherever you want." She set her chin on Yara's shoulder. "Whenever you want. However you want."

Yara bit her lip. "It won't be far. I won't make it far."

"Now this feels familiar," Yara said, pinning Dany against stacked bales of hay. "I'd often fool around at the stables when I was younger. That's where I had my first kiss," she recalled fondly, as she pressed a kiss over Dany's heart.

"And the first woman you loved?"

"I have never loved a woman until now," Yara admitted, pulling Dany's legs out from under her and dropping her onto hay-covered floor.

"I meant the first woman you slept with."

"Unmemorable. It was awkward. I just wanted to learn so that…" Yara trailed off.

"So that?" Dany's breath hitched as Yara mounted her and began to gyrate her hips.

"So that one day I could please a woman who really mattered to me." Dany's eyes snapped shut as the motion of Yara's body rubbing against her own overwhelmed her other senses. "Do I please you?" Yara asked innocently.

"Only you please me," Dany managed to murmur.

Yara pressed her self more forcefully against the smaller girl and reached forward to grab her puckered breasts. After a moment, she rolled off the side and pulled Dany up on top of her. "I want to watch you please yourself." Dany's eyes widened lustfully. "Straddle my leg." Dany did as she was told, scooting herself up Yara's leg, settling her juncture on Yara's well-muscled thigh. "Good. Now get yourself off." Dany began to rock herself slowly. "Beautiful," Yara said, bending an arm behind her own head to prop it up and give her a better view of her lover wiggling on top of her. "Give your gorgeous tits some attention." Dany's hands went to grasp her own breasts. "Massage them." A low moan escaped Dany's throat as she threw her head back, her silver hair floating like feathers around her shoulders. She continued her rocking motion while playing with her breasts. Yara reached her free hand down to her own center when Dany began to pick up her pace. "Are you close?"

"Mmhmm." Speaking was beyond Dany now.

"What are you waiting for?"

Dany whined.

"Touch yourself."

Dany released her breasts, one hand grabbed hold of Yara's hip while the other dropped to her center where it aggressively worried her clit. Meanwhile Yara continued to finger herself, enjoying the site of her uninhibited lover getting herself off.

Suddenly she felt Dany explode on her thigh. Her pulsing center unloaded itself; dum slickened the surface and trickled off either side. Dany's hands shot out to support her collapsing body, but Yara just yanked her down on top of her anyway as her own climax sent spasms tingling to her toes.

They lay together, Dany half atop Yara, her head resting on Yara's rapidly rising and falling chest, their legs entangled. Yara pushed the hair, somewhat sticky with sweat, off Dany's forehead and kissed her, while Dany rubbed her foot up and down Yara's calf and gently tickled her ribcage.

"Were you seriously considering marrying that long-snouted weasel?"

Dany spun slightly, so she could rest her chin on Yara's chest. "I wasn't lying, Yara Greyjoy. You've spoiled me for anyone else. I'm so in love with you it scares me. I won't marry anyone but you."

Yara curled a strand of Dany's hair around her finger, her lips trembling slightly. She then moved her hands to cup Dany's face and bring it to her own. As her lips just brushed Dany's, she whispered, "Then be mine, Daenerys Stormborn."

Dany closed the millimeter left between them, sliding her tongue in between Yara's parted lips. "Is that a demand?" She teased when they broke apart.

"Is that a yes?" Yara countered, burying her fingers in Dany's glossy curls. "I never demand," she added, running her thumb along Dany's lower lip.

"You can demand things of me if you wish."

"I could. But the one thing I want, I can't demand. You can't demand that someone return the feelings you have for them."

"But I do. I love you. I want to be yours. By the gods—old, new, any and all—I swear my heart is yours," she said, taking hold of Yara's hand and bringing it to her lips, then holding it over her heart.

"Then I claim you as mine. And I give myself to you. I am yours—I have been since the day I met you and wish to be forever and always. You have seared your mark upon my heart." A tear slipped out of the corner of Yara's eye, and Dany kissed it away.

"We will be married," Dany smiled.

"We will." Yara confirmed.

Dinner was a late and condensed affair. Dany sat alone with Jon and Sansa.

"Tomorrow I will tell the North who I really am and give them the chance to revoke my title. If they choose to do so, Sansa will take Winterfell."

At Dany's knitted eyebrows, Sansa interrupted. "He already offered to step down and relinquish Winterfell to me. I declined."

"What do you want, Sansa?"

"What do I want?"

Dany nodded vigorously, so Sansa sat back, deep in thought before answering. "I want my family back. I want them here at Winterfell. I want to live as I did before I left this place, before I realized how wonderful my life really was."

"What about power?"

"Only so much that I can live as I wish."

"You don't want to be queen?"

Sansa looked off into the distance. "I did once. When I was a silly little girl, that was what I wanted more than anything. I've seen enough to know how stupid that dream was." Sansa caught Dany's eyes and added, "No offense."

Jon interjected, "Why do you ask her these questions?"

Dany briefly recounted the episode with Littlefinger, omitting certain details. Jon clenched his jaw and shared a knowing glance with Sansa, who hedged a moment before exhaling dramatically.

"Littlefinger loved my mother, but he couldn't have her. He tried until the end. And I worry that if I dug deep enough I would find that he was at least partially responsible for her end. After my mother was murdered, he made his intentions toward me clear. But I couldn't see his endgame, and he married me to Ramsay. The story of that nightmare I will save for another day. With Theon's help, I escaped and shortly thereafter Littlefinger showed up, swearing to protect me. He did come to our aid in defeating Ramsay and retaking Winterfell, but he has bigger ambitions. He wants Westeros. Wants me. I'm not sure which he wants more. I trust his behavior will be self-serving and, in that way, predictable. But I do not trust him."

"Then why is he here?" Dany asked.

"He has control of the Vale, and the Vale is the only reason we have Winterfell. His presence is a reminder, perhaps a warning, that he has the numbers to take Winterfell by force."

"But he won't take it from you," Dany said.

"He won't unless he has no other option."

"But the North has thrown its support behind Jon."

"Who is about to be stripped of his Stark identity," Sansa cut in.

"How much does that matter?"

"What is your claim to the Throne?" Sansa asked pointedly.

"It's my blood right."

"Because you are a Targaryen."

Both women grew silent.

Jon broke the silence. "Listen, Daenerys, you have my support, whether I remain king or not. But I would also like to ask for your protection."

"You are my nephew. I have no other family, of course I will protect you."

"And if I do remain King in the North and help you become Queen of Westeros, I want to ask to keep Winterfell."

"The North shall remain yours, so long as it remains loyal to the Throne. Even now, if Littlefinger were to try to wrest Winterfell from you, I would fight for you. I have an army made up of the Second Sons, the Unsullied, my Khalasar, and I have alliances with House Martell of Dorne and House Tyrell of Highgarden." Sansa and Jon exchanged a look of amazement. Dany shrugged, "The Lannisters have made many enemies."

"Just one thing, Daenerys…" Sansa started.

"Yes?"

"A common enemy cements alliances temporarily, but what happens when the Lannisters are gone? The Houses behind you now support your goal of ousting a corrupt family, but whether they will support you ruling all seven kingdoms remains to be seen. Once you have the Throne, do you know how you intend to keep it? And what you intend to do with it?"

Dany had no immediate answers, not that Sansa was expecting them. "These are questions I have asked myself," she admitted openly. "But right now, I must focus only on taking the Throne. Keeping it will have to wait."

The three shook hands and walked out together. They hadn't known each other long, but a feeling of mutual trust and even friendship was shared among them.

Dany called her small council to share the outcome of her meeting, and everyone seemed pleased with the positive result. After fielding a few questions, she dismissed them for the evening, looking forward to catching up on the sleep that had eluded her the previous night.

"You have hay in your hair, Khaleesi, did you know?" Missandei, one of the last to leave, asked.

Dany reached up and felt a piece, which she removed. Missandei helped her pull another one out, "Better," she praised, while Dany blushed.

Tyrion stood at the doorway, looking faintly amused. "I wonder how that happened."

"She missed her horse and visited the stables," Missandei reasoned, reaching the door where Tyrion remained leaning against the frame. "Right, Khaleesi?"

"I did visit the stables," Dany answered evasively.

"Of course, her time with the Dothraki has endeared horses to her," Tyrion nodded. "In my younger years, I often played in the empty stalls. Hay makes such nice bedding that one could conceivably fall asleep on it or, I suppose, do anything else on it that one might normally do on a bed." Dany was beet-red and openly glaring at Tyrion. Missandei looked a trifle confused by the dwarf as she often did. "I wonder how Lady Greyjoy enjoyed the horses?" Tyrion skipped out of the room behind Missandei, just escaping a missile that crashed against the closed door.

Yara appeared at Dany's side, having entered from another door. "You think he knows?" she joked, and Dany's glare gave way to laughter. "I think he likes you," Yara added. "It must be tough to have every man—and woman—fall in love with you at first sight."

"Not every—" Dany started to protest.

"Drogo, Jorah, Daario, me… am I forgetting any? I'm sure there are more I don't know about." Dany shook her head in amusement. "It must make it hard on your lover."

"Are you jealous, Greyjoy?"

"Very. Possessive too." She gripped Dany's waist to pull her closer, then wrapped her arms around the shorter girl's shoulders.

Dany snuck her arms around Yara's back. "Even if everyone else is falling in love with me, I've fallen in love with you. Let them look all they want. Only you get to see this," she stripped, still wrapped up in Yara's embrace. Yara drank in her ethereal appearance. "And only you get to touch me." And Yara did.

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	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Thank you for reading! Sorry for the delay—work overload this past week kept me doing anything fun on the computer, but I'm caught up now. I truly appreciate all the feedback, and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

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Dany subtly reached for Yara's hand as they sat together at a table near the front of the room while Jon revealed his true ancestry to his gathered allies.

When the word "Targaryen" slipped off his lips, it was like a glass falling through the air. Sound dropped completely away, and then at the moment of impact, the hall abruptly broke into boisterous contention.

"A Stark should always rule Winterfell!"

"Only a true Stark belongs at the helm of the North!"

"Snow or Targaryen—he's still the same Jon we swore loyalty to!"

"He was never a Stark. He doesn't belong here!"

After a back-and-forth that seemed to last ages but could not have been more than a few minutes, Sansa's voice rose above the fray and called for order. The source of the command was so shocking that mouths either closed completely or hung open across the hall. Sansa looked older suddenly; it was as if Catelyn Stark stood before the those of Winterfell once more.

"Jon is my brother. Name notwithstanding, he is a Stark. My aunt's blood runs through his veins. His lineage was not a secret he was hiding from everyone, it was a secret hidden even from him. This news changes nothing about who he is. He is still the leader you want—the leader the North needs." A few murmurs rose. "If you must have a Stark as Lord of Winterfell, I will take the position. But," her eyes cut sharply across the room, "Jon isn't going anywhere. He belongs here. He has always belonged here," Sansa's voice dropped off as she turned to look at Jon, whose eyes were downcast.

Lyanna was the first to cast her vote, "Aye! He is still my King!" A chorus of cheers rose up in agreement.

Each took a turn, and everyone threw his support to Jon, though some did so with reservations, which Jon had no choice but to acknowledge, and conditions, which Jon had no choice but to accept. When it was Littlefinger's turn, he too swore his continued support.

Dany squeezed Yara's hand tighter, then leaned over the armrest of her chair, whispered, "I don't trust him."

"I don't think anyone does," Yara replied just as Littlefinger's eyes found theirs. Dany immediately stiffened, and Yara added her other hand atop their clasped ones. "You have nothing to worry about. He doesn't have the power to thwart your goal."

With his allies' loyalties renewed, Jon addressed the other matter at hand: the war to restore Targaryen reign.

After listening for a moment, Dany continued to whisper with Yara. "He does though," Dany disagreed.

"No, he doesn't have the numbers to take the Iron Throne for himself."

Dany shook her head solemnly, "My aspirations have changed. The Throne isn't enough any more."

She rose to stand with Yara as Jon, with the support to wage war, called an end to the meeting and the dismissed allies filed out.

"What? What more could you possibly want?" Yara, appalled, released Dany's hand and turned to look at her squarely.

In answer, Dany took her by the elbow and steered her around the corner to an empty hallway where she proceeded to press Yara up against the stone cold wall and capture her lips in a fiery kiss. When Dany pulled back enough to look into her eyes, Yara gasped and reached up to touch her lips. "You. I want you."

"You have me," Yara whispered, marveling at the burn still tingling her lips.

"Yes, and I aim to keep you," Dany's forehead creased.

"Does the thought of me by your side bother you?"

"Huh? No. It's not that… it's… I'm not sure you understand," Dany sighed, took a step back and rubbed her face. "My relationship with you is one more vulnerability for my enemies to exploit."

"How so? I don't think your subjects give a fuck who you're fucking."

"I'm not fucking you," Dany stepped back further.

"I beg to differ," Yara grinned playfully. "You are doing a great job fucking me," she took a step forward, grasped Dany's hips, and spun her around so their positions were reversed.

Dany's cheeks acquired a rosy hue, "I just meant that what I do with you is about more than just sex." Yara pressed a kiss to the side of Dany's face. "The sex is good though…" she trailed off.

"It's more than good," Yara repeated her action to the other side of Dany's face.

"Best I've ever had, " Dany looked up into Yara's eyes.

"Like I said, you do a great job fucking me. I wouldn't mind if you did it more." Yara smiled when they broke apart and reached for Dany's hand to resume their walk, appreciating that the heat in Dany's face was her doing.

"I don't fear what people will say about us, it's what they may try to do that concerns me," Dany tugged Yara into a concealed nook, where they were able to sit in privacy. "The Iron Throne won't mean anything to me if I don't have you by my side." Yara tilted her doubtfully. "I know, but it's true. Exasperatingly, terrifyingly true."

A carefree laugh burst from Yara. She put a hand behind Dany's head and pulled her in for a kiss. "I didn't realize being in love would mess with you so badly. But I swear to you, on the day you take the Iron Throne I will be by your side. Or in your lap if you prefer," she grinned impishly before stealing another kiss.

"And the days after that?" Dany's lips struggled to formulate words in the little space between them and Yara's.

"I promised you forever, my queen, and I meant it. I will be with you for the rest of my days," Yara vowed and began kissing Dany feverishly.

Dany put her hands up against Yara's shoulders, halting her passionate assault for a moment. A storm tumbled in her eyes, "Promise me."

"I promise, Stormborn," Yara swore solemnly before pulling Dany's lips back to hers.

That night Daenerys and her council shared a final meal with the Starks.

"So we'll begin the march south along King's Road at once," Jon said after swallowing a bite of his meal.

"You should be able to unite with the Unsullied and the rest of my Khalasar by week's end," Dany nodded.

Tyrion added, "In another week's time the Second Sons should be riding from the West with Casterly Rock under the Targaryen banner."

"The forces of Dorne and Highgarden will flank King's Landing from the South," Dany continued.

"The Iron Fleet will blockade the port at Blackwater Bay and strike from the East," Yara inserted.

"By the time the Lannisters realize they're under attack, they'll be surrounded on all sides by their enemies," Jon nodded.

"If all goes according to plan—" Tyrion stipulated.

Yara interjected, "Unlikely. Plans usually don't last long once the fighting begins."

Tyrion nodded, "True, and something definitely to keep in mind, but even so the balance seems to tip overwhelmingly in our favor."

"Is that possible?" Jon asked, turning to Sansa, the hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"That something might turn out in our favor? Hard to believe," Sansa joked.

"I think all of us can appreciate the exquisite rarity of Lady Fortune's smile," Tyrion toasted merrily. "All of us are orphans," he observed, "and all of us have suffered more than our fair share of bad luck." Tyrion paused to look around the table at each of them, "We have all been victims—at the hands of others—fathers, brothers, uncles, families, and society. But no more!"

"No more!" Sansa took up the banner, clinking her glass against Tyrion's.

"We will no longer be the victims of men," Dany raised her own glass.

"Or fate," Jon raised his.

"We will no longer be slaves," Missandei toasted.

"Or prisoners," Theon chimed in.

"We will be our own masters," Yara proclaimed.

"And masters of the Seven Kingdoms," Tyrion said.

"So as to grant everyone else the same freedom we ourselves were denied for so long," Dany added.

"The wolf is back at Winterfell, now it's time the dragon retakes the Iron Throne," Jon nodded, taking a deep drink, and all the rest followed suit. Dany met Yara's eyes over her glass, and they shared a conspiratorial smile, which did not go unnoticed by Tyrion who just shook his head.

Daenerys and her party left ahead of the forces of the North early the next morning, riding their mounts hard in an effort to catch up with the rest of her army. The night before, Dany had sent ravens to the commanders of each company to coordinate their efforts. Now all that was left to do was wait.

"I'm very bad at this," Dany sighed, leaning back into Yara's arms on her makeshift bed that night

"Trust me, you're not," Yara chuckled, using one arm to brush her silver hair to one side and wrapping the other around her shoulders.

"Not this," Dany gestured to their naked bodies. Yara laughed into Dany's hair. "I know I'm good at this."

"Is that something you know?" Yara asked.

Dany spun in her embrace so that she was facing Yara, pinning her beneath her chest. "I believe yesterday you requested that I fuck you more. And I didn't hear you complaining tonight. Just begging. _Please, Dany, touch me there_. _More, please, harder_. And Praising. _Gods yes! Yes, Dany!_ But no complaining _._ " Dany ran a finger softly over Yara's lips, replaced her finger with her own lips, then nuzzled Yara's nose. "You're blushing," she whispered.

"From desire, not embarrassment. I'm not too proud to beg," Yara's lips curved slightly and she ran her hands up Dany's sides.

"You don't have to beg me, you know. I'll give you anything you want. Ask and it's yours."

Yara reached up, took Dany's face in both her hands and kissed her fervently. When her neck grew tired, she broke the kiss but left her hands on Dany's face, running her thumb over Dany's lips, her cheek bones, tracing the curve of her eyebrows, the slope of her nose. "Then I ask you to be careful. I won't ask you not to fight because I know you must, just as I must. But when the fighting begins, don't believe yourself to be invincible because you're riding a dragon. Don't take unnecessary risks. The rebellion needs you to live. I need you to live."

Dany dropped her head onto Yara's chest, snuggling underneath her chin. "I have every intention of surviving this war to take my rightful place."

Yara rubbed her back, "Remember that you have more waiting for than the Throne. No matter how that turns out, I'll be there for you on the other side."

"No matter how this turns out?" Dany bolted up.

"Breathe, Khaleesi," Yara soothed, her hands resting on the sides of Dany's ribcage. "I have faith you will win."

"Good, because there is no other option. If we don't win, we fight again until we do."

"Within reason," Yara cautioned.

"No, there is victory or there is nothing."

"Even without the Throne, you'd still have me."

"If you couldn't have the Salt Throne, would you be satisfied with having me?" Yara pursed her lips. "That's what I thought. I can see it in your face. No, you would want revenge still."

"But I wouldn't pursue it recklessly."

"Nor will I. But I won't stop until I'm on the Throne."

Yara sighed in surrender, "Then let's get that Throne."

Dany dropped back onto Yara's chest, but then thought better of it and propped herself up on one elbow off to Yara's side. "It's not a choice, you know. I'm not choosing the Throne over you. I'm not saying you're not enough. The Throne alone is not enough. But you are. It's just that taking the Throne is my duty and birthright. I'm obligated to take it back. I owe it to my family, to the people of Westeros. I can't ignore that responsibility just because I'd rather be wrapped up in your arms," Dany explained as she rubbed Yara's arms tenderly. "But if it were a choice—if there ever were a choice between you and something or someone else, I'd choose you. I will always choose you."

Yara shifted to her side also and leaned in slowly, pressing her lips to Dany's in a leisurely kiss. "You don't owe the world as much as you think you do. In fact, you don't owe it anything, but your sense of honor is one of the many reasons I love you."

"If it were only me I had to worry about, I could be happy with you."

"Hmm?"

"Without the Throne. If I still had you, I could make my peace with not having the Throne—if I had only me to worry about."

"But you don't."

"No, I don't. I have many people of many nations to worry about and care for."

"Let's talk about something less depressing," Yara suggested.

"Like what?"

"Like when you're going to let me ride one of your dragons."

"Have you grown tired of riding the mother of dragons then?"

Yara chuckled, "Not possible," before drawing Dany back down into her arms.

"Perhaps tomorrow, if you are brave enough," Dany challenged lightheartedly.

"I doubt meeting them will be as daunting as meeting you was."

"Were you intimidated by me?" Dany laughed at the ridiculousness of the thought.

"Is that so hard to believe?"

"Looking back, I suppose not. But now…"

"Well, yes, if I knew then that all I had to do was kiss you—" Dany cut off the rest of her sentence with a kiss.

"I don't know about this…"

"You're the Salt Queen," Dany rooted. "You can do anything."

Yara stood with her hands on her hips, looking doubtful.

"I spent countless nights sailing the poison water on your ships, the least you can do is spend a few minutes flying through the air on my dragons."

Yara shook her head, "I know you're right, but I made my ships, I know my ships. They're steady—"

"I disagree," Dany raised an eyebrow. "They are so unsteady in fact I spent the first night very sick."

Yara raised a brow in turn, "But that worked out for the best, didn't it."

"Get up here," Dany demanded. "I made Drogon. I know him. I trust him."

Yara relented, "You have always been demanding."

She reached for Dany's outstretched hand, "And you have always obliged me." Yara sat down tentatively, straddling the reptilian back. "Scoot closer," Dany advised, "and hold on tight."

And they were off. Yara's grip around Dany was so tight that it restricted the expansion of Dany's ribcage. Yara hid her face in Dany's hair and said a silent prayer to the Drowned God before realizing there was likely nothing she could do so far from the sea, so she cursed instead.

"Greyjoy," Dany shouted, "Open your eyes!" Yara opened one then the other, sitting back slightly to look around. They were above the clouds—floating as though they too were clouds. Dany felt Yara's chest expand against her back and her grip loosen. She placed one hand over Yara's, and turned her head slightly to glance over her shoulder, "Well?" Yara just shook her head and Dany chuckled softly.

Drogon flew them north where they could check on the progress of Winterfell's forces, east where they could see the Iron Fleet nearing the bay, south where they could see the steady advancement of Dorne and Highgarden, west where they could see the Second Sons trekking toward King's Landing with Casterly Rock secured.

"It's begun," Yara whispered into Dany's back, into which she was once again firmly pressed. "Are you ready?"

"I am. I've been ready for a long time," Dany answered, steering Drogon back to camp.

"Are you scared?"

Dany considered this seriously for a moment, "Not anymore."

Yara felt this to be true. The woman wrapped in her arms was strangely calm, almost detached, as though the outcome was already decided and it was just a matter of waiting until it finally came. "Then take us home," Yara replied, squeezing her tighter.

Dany hovered over the miniature map of Westeros on which pawns were assembled to match her battle plans. It was late and the strategy meeting had ended hours ago, but she remained at the table in her nightgown, staring at the arrangement.

"Khaleesi, come to bed," Yara called. Dany didn't even blink. "I'm serious. You need sleep," Yara's voice had acquired a more serious tone. Dany still made no acknowledgement of Yara, so she slid out from between the sheets and padded over to her. "Dany?" She placed a hand on the smaller woman's shoulder, and Dany jumped at the touch.

"Yara?"

"I'm sorry," they said in unison.

Dany waved off Yara's apology. "I can't think about anything else," she gestured to the map.

"Let me help you," Yara said, dropping her lips to Dany's neck and kissing a line down her spine, sending a shiver up it.

Dany's head fell to her shoulder. "Okay," she exhaled, letting Yara wrap her arms around her waist and slowly lead her backward to the bed.

"Please don't worry," Yara whispered, planting a series of butterfly kisses behind Dany's ear. "I don't like seeing you like this."

"I'm not worried," Dany protested as Yara pulled her down onto the end of the bed and continued kissing her neck.

"No?"

"No," Dany confirmed.

Yara paused and rested her chin on Dany's shoulder, "Then why are you awake?"

"I'm just preparing. Thinking of every possible turn of events, all possible outcomes. Imagining what life will be like a few days or weeks from now," Dany leaned her head gently against Yara's.

"That's a lot to think about," Yara observed.

"It's a little overwhelming," Dany agreed.

"So you're not worried, your head is just full."

Dany breathed out a laugh, "Very."

Yara sat back slightly as Dany turned in her arms, "So did I figure into any of those possible outcomes you imagined."

"You featured in all of them," Dany smiled affectionately, before gently pushing Yara by the shoulders down into the mattress. Yara returned her smile before reaching up and pulling Dany down to her.

"You are the future of the Seven Kingdoms, but all I care about is that you're my future."

Dany kissed Yara insistently then, "Tomorrow I begin fighting for our future together."

"And tomorrow I leave so I can do the same."

"What?" Yara immediately missed the pressure of Dany's lips against hers as Dany rocketed up.

"Tomorrow Theon and I will leave to rejoin the Iron Fleet. I will take my place leading the Ironborn and my ships in battle." Dany sat back on Yara's hips, her eyes blank and unfocused. Yara reached up to twirl the ends of Dany's hair. "Dany?" She asked cautiously when Dany had been silent for too long.

"I should have realized… I just didn't even think… I got used to you being here—always here with me," Dany confessed as her eyes, filling with water, returned to Yara's.

Yara bridged her hips, knocking Dany forward, back down into her arms. She buried her hands in Dany's hair, cradling the sides of her face, holding the future queen firmly to her. When she pressed her lips to Dany's she found that Dany's lips burned with passion and something else; they ignited Yara's entire being. In between passionate kisses, Yara whispered, "I have to—fight—for you—for us—so that—" Dany moved her lips down Yara's throat "—I can continue to always be here with you until the end."

Dany sucked on Yara's pulse point while a hand slipped under Yara's dressing robe to her breast. Her fingers traced light circles over the mound, spiraling inward slowly until they reached the nipple, which Dany then moved to cover with her mouth. Yara arched her back into the contact, making Dany smile against her breast.

Yara whined as Dany sat back up to push the top of Yara's robe completely open. Her index finger drew designs across Yara's exposed chest, down her abdomen to the line of her panties. Yara bucked involuntarily, and Dany raised an eyebrow and grinned but refused to give Yara what she wanted, instead continuing her finger's path down Yara's hip to her inner thigh. She just brushed Yara's center as she moved to tickle the sensitive skin on the other leg.

"Dany—"

Yara's underwear now sported a darkened damp spot.

"Yara—" Dany teased, grasping the top of Yara's panties and pulling them from her.

Dany sat up to admire her naked girlfriend.

Yara closed her legs trying to get some relief, but Dany pried them apart and slid her own in between them. She leaned forward then until she was over Yara and reached out to take the Greyjoy's chin in her hand. Yara's eyes shot open.

"If you don't come back to me after the fighting, it would be the same as if I were to stop now and not let you finish."

Yara swallowed hard.

"Un-fucking-bearable," Dany whispered, dropping her mouth to Yara's and kissing her violently. Meanwhile, she slid her hand down to Yara's opening and slid two fingers inside the slippery folds. Yara gasped into the kiss.

Dany aggressively fingered Yara, who bucked up into her thrusts. Yara's breathing become uneven as Dany's fingers found her clit and rubbed the aroused nub until the Ironborn fell to pieces underneath her.

Dany slid from atop Yara, who was still riding out aftershocks, and pulled the spent woman into her arms. "The only reason I'm okay with letting you go is because I know you're going just so you can come back to me," she whispered into the disheveled brunette hair. "I won't say good-bye… just until we meet again." Dany pressed a kiss firmly to the back of Yara's head, which had grown heavy against her chest.

When Dany woke the next morning, Yara was gone. In the place her body had been was a bracelet: an oval-shaped charm decorated with two dots and connecting multiple—eight, she counted—bands. A kraken, she realized. The note beside it read: the Iron Isles are yours until I return, the Iron Throne will be yours when I return, and I am yours now and forever. It took everything she had, but Dany did not cry.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: A better person would say no excuses, but I'm just me. I do have a really legit excuse, but it's personal and tragic and I'm trying to escape that by being here, so instead I'm going to share another excuse that is equally as real, but much more fun: in my obsession (mentioned in an earlier chapter) of scrolling Dany/Yara tags, underneath a pic of their adorbs handshake, I found mention of this thing called Clexa. And down that rabbit hole I went. I had never even heard of The 100, and now I'm obsessed (which is depressing considering my favorite storyline seems to have run its course) and pining over Clexa. This story was my first f/f pairing, so I've learned a lot from these fandoms which now means I'm also really scared for Dany/Yara—questions plague me: will this ship ever become canon, will I have to endure a season of waiting for them to get together only to have it never happen, or will GOT join the terrible tradition and kill Yara off? This story is nearing its end—I'm planning for one final chapter after this one. This chapter feels rushed (and I apologize for any plot holes you find—but let's be honest, I'm really just here for the Stormjoy love). Thank you for reading!

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King's Landing fell quickly. It wasn't that Cersei didn't put up a fight, but rather that her forces were so completely overwhelmed by the size of Daenerys' army that in short order they were decimated.

Dany ventured alone into the throne room and gingerly sat on the Iron Throne for the first time.

"How does it feel?"

Dany jumped at the unexpected interruption, eyes searching for the source of the voice.

"Fulfillment?" Yara strode into view.

Dany jumped up out of the seat and threw herself into Yara's open arms. She buried her face in Yara's neck. Yara winced slightly but wrapped her arms more tightly around her fiancé, drawing her closer. "Are you alright?" Dany asked, pulling back and dropping her hands to Yara's waist, lifting her shirt slightly.

"I'm fine," Yara's breath hitched when Dany's fingers brushed the bare skin beneath the bandage.

"No, you're not." Dany said looking up into Yara's eyes.

Yara placed her hand over Dany's, stilling her fingers. "It's nothing," she dismissed.

"Let me see. These need to be changed anyway," Yara rolled her eyes but allowed Dany to lead her to the throne.

"Dany…"

"Hmm?" Dany hummed, pulling Yara's shirt over her head and setting it on the armrest.

"Here?" Dany's brows furrowed in confusion as Yara continued, "This seems a bit… public."

Realization dawned on her, and she just laughed and shook her head. "It's fine," Dany soothed pressing a kiss to Yara's forehead, then her lips, before sinking to her knees between her legs to unwrap the bandage. Yara couldn't control the blush that blossomed on her cheeks. "Yara?" Dany teased.

"It's been too long," Yara sighed, allowing her eyes to slip shut.

Dany chuckled, "I agree." Her face contracted at the sizable cut across Yara's side. "How did this happen?"

"How do you think?"

"Yara…" Dany reproved, her tone serious and slightly hurt.

Yara opened her eyes and took in Dany's expression. "Hey," she whispered softly, cupping Dany's chin and leaning forward to press a kiss to her lips. "It happens in battle. I'm fine." Dany nodded, but her eyes filled with tears. "I'm fine," Yara repeated more insistently.

Dany stood and wiped her eyes, "Okay, okay, I'm going to grab supplies."

She returned with a bundle of material and sanitizing solution and set about cleaning and rewrapping the cut, occasionally glancing up at Yara's face.

"I'm not in any pain," Yara smiled in reassurance. Dany bit her lip. "I swear." Dany leaned back to get a better view of her work, ghosting her fingers over the wrap. "Actually, I feel pretty good," Yara said, grasping Dany's hands and pulling her up and into her lap.

Dany gasped, "Yara, be careful! I don't want your cut to reopen."

"I'm fine, Khaleesi," Yara drew out the title seductively, eyes glinting. She took both of Dany's hands and placed them on her sides. "I'm not fragile. I won't break if you touch me."

"Damn it, Greyjoy," Dany cursed, smashing her lips against Yara's. "You can't just say stuff like that."

Yara smiled against Dany's urgent kisses, responding in kind. "God, I missed this. Missed you."

Yara's words encouraged Dany, who reached around to unhook Yara's bra before pulling her own dress over head, unclasping her bra, and then pulling Yara's face to hers once more.

Yara stood and picked up Dany, who instinctively wrapped her legs around her and continued to assault her lips. She spun and set Dany down on her throne, breaking their kiss to kneel before her.

"Yara?"

"Hush," Yara smiled, placing her hands on Dany's shaking knees, sliding them up her thighs slowly pushing them apart as she went.

"Yara," Dany whined, letting her head loll back against the seat as Yara's fingers spiraled slowly along her inner thigh.

"This throne suits you," Yara sighed beginning to place butterfly kisses in the wake of her fingers. "In fact, I think this is your best look yet." She nipped at the exposed skin then soothed the bitten flesh with her tongue. Dany's knuckles turned white as she grasped the armrests. Yara buried her face at the apex of her thighs, nuzzling the damp material of her panties.

"Yara," Dany breathed out in protest as Yara pulled away.

"Did war stunt your vocabulary? All I've heard from these lips," she said tracing Dany's trembling lower lip, "is my name." She leaned in, "Not that I'm complaining," and bit down before running her tongue over it and then sucking gently on it.

"Fuck."

"Not really an improvement," Yara laughed, deepening the kiss, while allowing her fingers to tease the edge of Dany's underwear.

"Please, Yara, I can't take it."

Yara slipped her hand into Dany's panties and traced her slick entrance slowly. Dany's hips bucked up to meet Yara's fingers. "Always so impatient."

"I need you," Dany begged. Yara couldn't refuse, sliding a finger into Dany's pulsing folds. "More," Dany demanded. Yara smirked and sank a second digit into her before pumping them in and out aggressively. Dany writhed beneath her ministrations, whimpering with every thrust.

She cried out when Yara suddenly stopped and cried out again when her fingers were replaced by her tongue. Yara licked the length of her entrance, nibbling at the sides until she had Dany begging again. Then she plunged her tongue inside, grabbing Dany's hips to pin them to the seat of the throne.

"Oh Gods," Dany screamed, as the girl moved to suck on her clit. "I'm so close!"

Yara reinserted her fingers while her lips continued to work the bundle of nerves. Yara paused for a moment, to look up at Dany's hooded eyes. "Come for me, baby," she crooned, placing her mouth back over Dany's clit and curling her fingers against her front wall. Dany lost it, crying Yara's name as she came, while Yara steadied her shuddering body as she rode out her orgasm. "That's it, Khaleesi," she whispered gathering the tiny queen in her arms. "Let's finish this somewhere more comfortable." Dany's mumbled the directions to her bedroom as best she could in her delirious state, which meant several wrong turns a few close calls before Yara was dropping her onto the mattress and kissing her senseless again.

"You think this will last?" Yara asked as morning light crept into their bedroom.

Dany shook her head, "No, I know it won't." She threw her arm lazily over Yara's hip and drew the girl closer to her.

"How long?" Yara breathed out, curling into Dany.

"I can't say. We have as long as we have. That's life."

3 days later they had their answer when Theon's head arrived without the rest of him.

Yara fell to her knees at the sight and Dany fell beside her, wrapping her arms around the brunette. Yara didn't cry; she couldn't, but the loss drained her as though she had cried all the water out of her body.

Surveying the scene, Tyrion whispered to Missandei, "The boy was always arriving in pieces." Missandei glared at him. "At least he wasn't tortured this time," Tyrion sighed.

While Dany was rubbing Yara's back, she noticed a note had fallen out of the package. She snatched it and read, "Sister next." Her eyes widened in terror, and she shot Tyrion a questioning look. He hurried over to her side and read the message.

"Who?" Dany hissed.

"My guess?" Tyrion asked.

"Littlefinger," Dany murmured.

"If I were a betting man, that's where I'd put my money."

"He's not acting alone."

"No, he's not." Tyrion locked his jaw.

"Who else?"

"Your guess is as good as mine. Any enemies, Targaryen?" He placed special emphasis on her family name.

"None personally, but=" Dany's eyes widened.

Tyrion shook his head, "Yep."

"You can't be serious," Yara demanded.

"Deadly," Dany responded.

"This is insane. I'm safe now."

"And I'm not just going to wait around for that to change."

"Dany…"

"I've made up my mind." Yara pursed her lips as Dany ordered her queensguard to protect Yara. "I'm going to end this now."

Daenerys stood and walked through the open doors to the balcony just as Drogon appeared. She leapt to his back and took off to eliminate the threat to Yara's life and her own rule.

She found Ellaria, sitting calmly as though expecting her, as though Dany had been invited to tea and was merely running late.

"What did you do?"

Ellaria raised a brow and lowered her wine glass from her lips, "I wasn't informed that Tyrion was your hand."

"This is your fight with me?" Dany sneered.

"I wanted the Lannisters eliminated."

"It is done."

"One stands at your right hand," Ellaria stood in her anger.

"One last Lannister means nothing," Dany dismissed.

"It means something to me."

"What is this really about?"

"Hand over the little Lannister."

"And if I refuse?"

"I'll take him anyway. And your girlfriend as well."

Dany raised her chin, "And how do you know who my girlfriend is?" Ellaria pursed her lips, realizing her slip. "That's what I thought. This won't end even if I were to hand over Tyrion, which I have no intention of doing. Littlefinger wants the throne. And now I'm guessing you do too."

"Ours was a temporary alliance built on false promises."

"I gave you what I promised," Dany protested.

"Yes, but what you promised was not enough."

"It was when you agreed to it!" Dany shouted.

"I agreed to it because I was fooled by your lies!" Ellaria bit right back.

"I never lied to you."

"An omission is a lie. You never told me Tyrion was your hand—"

"—We've been over that."

"You never told me that your brother, Rhaegar, betrayed Ella for Lynna Stark and that their union resulted in a child—the man known today as Jon Snow."

"I only just learned that myself."

Ellaria continued to talk over Dany, "I'm feeling less friendly toward Targaryens, my dear. And I think that I'd like to see the end of your family's reign."

Dany sighed and then rolled her eyes, "Everyone's always trying to eliminate my name." She turned to Drogon, "Draycarys!"

The goblet fell to the ground as the body holding it incinerated.

When Daenerys returned to King's Landing, she summoned Tyrion immediately to confirm what she'd suspected: Littlefinger and the Sands were conspiring to take the Iron Throne. However, when Tyrion arrived, he was first to break news.

"What?!" Dany roared.

"They just appeared. We're still not sure how they got in. But they did. They took her and no one else."

"Where did they go?" Dany's voice was strained.

"I don't know," Tyrion apologized.

"I do." Littlefinger emerged from the doorway.

"Do I not have a queensguard? How is this happening?"

"Relax, they let me in when I told them I had something you wanted."

"Yara."

"Yes, your rather feisty fiancé. She didn't come easy from what I understand." Dany slapped him across the face. "Touchy," Littlefinger laughed, his eyes narrowing sinisterly.

"Where is she?" Dany asked grabbing Littlefinger by the collar.

"With the Sand Snakes," Littlefinger answered, putting his hands over hers. "You can have her back once we work out some things here."

Dany only tightened her grip and backed him up to the wall. "Bring her back now," she growled.

"I thought you might say that." Littlefinger whistled and Yara appeared flanked by Obara and Nymeria, whose whip was wrapped around her prisoner.

"Yara," Dany breathed out releasing Littlefinger to face Yara. When she made a move toward her though, Obara pulled out a sword and held it across Yara's throat.

"No closer," she spat.

Dany held up her hands and turned back to Littlefinger, her tone conciliatory, "What do you want?"

"My original proposal isn't looking too bad now is it?"

"What do you want?" She repeated, desperation creeping into her voice.

"The same thing I've wanted all along. The Iron Throne."

"I can't give you that," Dany's voice dropped to a whisper and her eyes flashed to Yara who let out a whimper as the blade of Obara's sword pressed into her neck. Dany hurried to add, "If it were as simple as trading it for her, I would. But the throne is not mine alone to give. Even if I step down for you, the Houses will not accept you."

"Who said anything about you stepping down?"

Dany's eyes widened then narrowed, "I won't have you rule by my side."

"If you want her to live, you'll agree to whatever I want," Littlefinger nodded toward Yara.

Dany shook her head. "Even if I agree to this, what is to keep you from threatening her life in the future, every time you want something from me?"

"Nothing," Littlefinger purred. "That's the beauty of this. I will really by the one ruling and you will be at my side."

"This is insanity," Tyrion pronounced. "You know this won't work."

"On the contrary, I think it already has."

"You can't agree to this," Tyrion addressed Dany.

"I already have," Dany admitted.

"The wedding happens tonight. For all of King's Landing to see, including her," he smirked at Yara.

Yara scowled and caught Dany's eyes, the begging clear. "Don't do this, Dany," she choked out.

"It's done," Dany shook her head and then turned to the Sand Snakes. "Let her go," she demanded.

Nymeria and Obara released Yara, who was immediately captured by Dany's arms. "What are you thinking?" Yara whispered into her silver tresses. "You can't do this."

"No, the thing I can't do is lose you. This I can do," Dany murmured into her neck.

"Okay, take her away," Littlefinger called.

"What? No," Dany demanded. "You said you'd release her!"

Littlefinger frowned, "No, I said I'd let her live."

Nymeria took hold of Yara, wrapping an arm around her neck. "You know, if you weren't spoken for…" she passed her lips over Yara's ear, causing the brunette to squirm away. "Or if you get lonely while your fiancé is being bedded by her new husband, I could…" She flicked her tongue along the shell of Yara's ear and wiggled her body into Yara's side." Obara rolled her eyes at her sister's antics, distracted for the millisecond Dany needed to land a clean hook to Nymeria's jaw, sending her sprawling onto the floor.

"Keep your fucking hands off her," Dany snarled.

Obara, affronted, turned to look at Littlefinger, who just shrugged. But the snap of Nymeria's whip splitting Dany's cheek open got his attention.

"You just sliced my bride's face," he shouted. "How's that going to look?"

"She punched me," Nymeria defended, still on the floor.

Littlefinger cocked his head and chided, "You should be embarrassed."

Nymeria pouted as Obara helped her up, hissing, "Keep it in your pants next time."

Meanwhile, Dany was shooting daggers at Tyrion and Yara, both of whom eyed each other questioningly.

Dany turned to Littlefinger, "I'll marry you tonight, but don't make Yara watch." Her eyes searched his pleadingly. "Please. I love her."

"That is certainly true. You're trading your whole kingdom for her life… Fine." He relented and turned to the Sand Snakes, "You two keep her here." Obara nodded, and Nymeria licked her lips, causing Yara to recoil and Dany to raise a fist. Littlefinger placed his hand over her fist and lowered it. "My queen will not be a barbarian."

"Who will make sure they place nice?"

"Don't you worry, princess, we'll place nice," Nymeria smirked, a hand dropping to Yara's hips.

Littlefinger shook his head in annoyance. "Your hand can stay," he turned toward Tyrion. Dany too turned to look at her most trusted advisor. His brow furrowed. It was clear her look was significant, but for the life of him—and Yara—he couldn't decipher the message she hoped to convey.

"How is my hand going to keep them from harming her with their weapons? He's an unarmed dwarf."

Tyrion was deeply offended by Dany's uncharacteristically demeaning remark. "I may be short, but I am smart," he protested. As Littlefinger laughed, Tyrion caught himself, reflecting on his own statement. He was smart. And Dany had never cared about his height. What was she getting at? He wasn't just a dwarf in her eyes, he was an unarmed dwarf.

"The cleverest of the Lannisters," Littlefinger acknowledged. "Relax, my future queen, I promise no harm will come to your love tonight." He took her chin in his hand. "You can have her by your side as soon as the ceremony is over." Dany yanked her chin away, and managed to catch Tyrion's thoughtful gaze as he gave her a curt nod.

A couple hours later Daenerys stood in front of Littlefinger, who held her hands a little too tightly in his. Dany looked out over the large crowd that had assembled.

"Be happy," Littlefinger reprimanded. "It's your wedding day."

"I have never found my weddings to be happy affairs," Dany sighed.

"Should be the happiest day of your life." Dany's scowl deepened at this. "Well, at least find joy in the knowledge that your Ironborn fiancé is alive because of you."

Dany swallowed, her sad eyes again scanning the crowd.

"Queen," a small voice startled Dany.

"Sansa?" She could barely contain the terror, trying to mask it with surprise. "What are you doing—"

"I couldn't leave you without a bridesmaid. You didn't want Yara, so I found the next best thing." Littlefinger's smarmy smile made Dany's skin crawl.

She clenched her jaw and turned to Sansa, who was escorted by Tyene. "Thank you for coming," she said, her gaze boring into Sansa. Sansa shook her head in confusion at the intensity. "Yara and I were going to be married in the sea, in the tradition of her people. Do you know how to swim?" Dany looked to the edge of the pavilion where the ocean rolled 25 feet below.

Sansa's eyes widened. "I do, my Queen. I'm sure it would have been a lovely wedding."

Dany nodded and let out a breath. The ceremony got underway and moved slowly as customs were observed.

In the castle, Tyrion attempted to make small talk with the Sand Snakes. "You know, this one," he tilted his head toward Yara, "is in a committed relationship. So she wasn't as open to your advances as say an unattached hand of the queen might be."

"Not my type," Nymeria dismissed. Tyrion turned hopefully toward Obara, who just ignored him.

"Alright, no sex. How about wine?" Obara's eyes flickered toward him. "Does that interest you? How about I go get us some?"

"You're supposed to be ensuring I don't get gutted or felt up," Yara pointed out.

"I can do that with a little wine in me."

"You never drink a little," Yara drawled. Obara smirked.

"Yeah, well, we all have our vices. I don't have a queen burying her face between my legs to distract me from the uglier parts of life."

Yara blushed, and Nymeria caught her eyes, raising her brow suggestively.

Tyrion left and returned with no small amount of wine and poured them all a glass. Yara refused, so Tyrion drank her glass himself. "I feel really safe now," she deadpanned.

Nymeria scooted closer, "I'll keep you safe." She refused Tyrion's offer of another glass, "No more for me." She smiled at Yara who choked back vomit.

Obara peeled her from Yara's side, "Enough, you're disgusting her and me." Obara accepted another glass from Tyrion, who helped himself to a third.

He offered Yara a glass again. "I already said no," she snapped, annoyed at his reckless behavior. It was like he'd already given up. His heavy drinking was normal, but to do so in this situation was unlike him. Her eyes snapped to his then, as he passed the glass to Obara and while eying Nymeria. Yara's breath hitched.

Back on the pavilion the time for vows had arrived. Dany said a silent prayer, looked over her shoulder and mouthed, "Run," to Sansa, who turned and took off toward the sea cliff, Tyene immediately hot on her heels.

As Dany stepped forward, Littlefinger's eyes darted from his bride to her sprinting bridesmaid. He looked into Dany's eyes in disbelief. What he saw there was almost enough to cause his immediate demise. And later, he'd wished it had. Flames. Black flames. Suddenly the flames were no longer just in her eyes, they were all around him.

The screams drew Nymeria and Obara to the balcony. As Obara reached it, she suddenly grabbed her throat, which felt tight. Her eyes widened as she realized it was closing. Seconds later, she was free falling over the edge unable to scream for want of breath.

Dany's three dragons had lit up the entire pavilion. Bodies were on fire. Littlefinger looked down at his own body. He was on fire. He looked back at his bride. She looked remorseful until her eyes turned back to him. Anger. A pure, burning hate. That was the last thought he had before he was no more than a stain of black ash on the ground.

Dany had watched Sansa throw herself over the edge into the sea just as fire engulfed the pavilion, and now she watched innocent people burn alive in the fire. She looked to the balcony of the room where Yara was kept prisoner just in time to see a body falling from it. And then another.

"Poison!" Nymeria screamed as she watched her sister fall. Her cry turned into a gurgle as a blade cut through her middle. She turned her head to see Yara release the handle of Obara's sword, which was now plunged through her stomach, and push her over the railing.

Dany looked to the sea where Drogon appeared with Sansa on his back and Tyene in his mouth. Expressionless, she made her way toward the room where she'd left Yara. Her wedding dress was falling in pieces from her body.

She burst into the room to find Tyrion sipping a glass of wine, several cases of which were around him, and Yara, who was sitting on the floor next to him and looked up just in time to see the last of the white dress turn black and flake off Dany's skin.

"Dany," she breathed, standing up as Dany fell down into her arms. "Dany?" She repeated worriedly.

"I'm okay," she whispered, breathing in the scent of salt on Yara's skin. "How is it you still smell like the sea?"

Yara's laugh was soft and soon choked out into a sob. "I thought I… you… I thought…"

Dany pressed a kiss to her throat. "No." Yara sighed, brushing her fingers over her lover's ash-stained face. "I chose you. That's all there is to it."

"It comes at a price," Tyrion murmured into his drink.

Dany's eyes darkened, "I know the cost."

"You'll have to pay for it. The Houses will demand reparations, if not more, for their lost citizens."

Dany nodded. "Thank you for protecting her. For being brilliant and figuring out what needed to be done." Tyrion nodded. The silence stretched between them.

"I love you," Dany whispered against Yara's skin.

"I love you too," Yara whispered back. "Even if you do smell like smoke."

Dany tightened her grip around Yara, who buried her face more deeply into Dany's hair.


End file.
